Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Examines Recent Mental Health News
The following summarizes recent state news regarding mental health funding and initiatives.
- Georgia: A legislative conference committee has been meeting to iron out differences in legislation passed by the state House and Senate that would restructure the regional offices tasked with appropriating funds for mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse services. Currently, 13 volunteer boards manage the system. Discussion in the conference committee has focused on limiting the number of boards to six or seven, shifting spending authority from the boards to regional coordinators under the management of the state Department of Human Resources and restricting the boards' role to planning. Once the conference committee reaches an agreement on the legislation, the full Legislature will vote on it (Schanche, Macon Telegraph, 4/2).
- Iowa: Iowa lawmakers on March 28 approved an amendment to a health insurance bill (SF 2322) that would require employers to offer mental health insurance coverage. The amendment was substituted for a measure that would have given business with 50 or fewer employees a 1% tax credit for providing insurance coverage for seven neurobiological disorders (Roos, Des Moines Register, 3/29).
- Minnesota: In response to a police shooting involving a mentally ill man, advocates in Minneapolis are urging the city to implement five measures to improve safety for those with mental illnesses. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Minnesota is calling for an ample supply of mental health services, linguistic and cultural capabilities, options for early treatment, a mental health team that can aid "first responders" and mental health training for law enforcement and other emergency workers (Borger, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 3/26).
