What We’re Reading: May 26, 2015
Returning from an extended holiday weekend, we’re deep in catch-up mode. This week we’re turning the focus to states’ implementation of mental health parity in Medicaid and CHIP, the incarceration of individuals with mental health and substance use conditions, the rise in hospital observations, and recent advocacy on voting and access rights.
- Once the public comment period on the mental health parity Proposed Rule closes June 9, the next step for state programs is implementation. The National Academy for State Health Policy’s Blog features a handy checklist as states and stakeholders starting thinking about implementation.
- The Los Angeles Times reports on July 2014 complaints filed by the Disability and Abuse Project, which allege voting rights violations affecting California residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The allegations resulted in the launch of a federal investigation, last week.
- Also last week, the Senate Committee on Aging held a hearing examining the increasing use of “observation status” by hospitals.
- The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Stateline shares the launch of a multi-stakeholder, national campaign addressing the incarceration of individuals with mental health and substance use conditions. More: A 2009 article in the journal Psychiatric Services quantifies the prevalence of these conditions within the criminal justice population. Related: POLITICO reports on growing pressure for the Obama administration to revise regulations limiting the sharing of medical records about substance use treatment, which may be included within the 21st Century Cures bill or a revised version of proposed mental health reform.
- “Weeks after a teen with autism and her family were booted from a United Airlines flight, advocates are calling on federal authorities to remind air carriers of their responsibilities,” writes Disability Scoop. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s Thursday letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx can be read here.