releases: https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-highlights-encouraging-results-of-excellence-in-mental-health-program
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://www.blunt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/blunt-highlights-encouraging-results-of-excellence-in-mental-health-program | Blunt Highlights Encouraging Results of Excellence in Mental Health Program | 2020-12-01 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Republican | House | MO | Roy Blunt | B000575 | www.blunt.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) welcomed a new report from the Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare which found that Missouri Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) have significantly expanded access to and improved the quality of mental health services. CCBHCs were established in Blunt and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow's (Mich.) 2014 Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act, which put community mental health centers on an equal footing with other health centers by improving quality standards and offering patients increased services. According to the report, CCBHCs in Missouri increased patient access to care by 23% and served nearly 3,000 veterans over the last three years. Over the same period, CCBHCs also reduced hospitalizations by 20% and ER visits by 36%. Over the last three years we've seen incredible progress in improving and expanding mental health services in our state, said Blunt. Nearly one in five Americans has a diagnosable, and almost always treatable, mental health issue, but many are unable to get the help they need. The coronavirus pandemic has created even more challenges, with substance abuse on the rise and more Americans struggling with issues like anxiety, grief, and depression. This report is encouraging, but it is more important than ever to make mental and behavioral health services available to more Americans. I have worked with Senator Stabenow to extend and expand the Excellence in Mental Health program to build on the progress that's been made, and it will continue to be a priority. Missouri was among the original eight states selected to participate in the Excellence in Mental Health demonstration program. In March, Blunt announced that the CARES Act expanded the program to two additional states and continued funding for CCBHCs in Missouri. CCBHCs provide a wide range of services, including 24/7/365 crisis services, screenings, risk assessments, and diagnoses. They provide outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services, as well as coordination of care and partnerships with emergency rooms, law enforcement, and veterans groups. At a press conference earlier this year, Blunt highlighted a report released by the National Council for Behavioral Health, which found that 78% of CCBHCs can offer an appointment within a week or less. Blunt also shared examples of how the Excellence program in Missouri is aiding law enforcement and helping people get mental health and addiction services faster and closer to home. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |