releases: https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=c7bbe8d8-dfc6-4aa4-93b6-440b04a13b51
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=c7bbe8d8-dfc6-4aa4-93b6-440b04a13b51 | Portman Supports Measures to Improve Behavioral Health System | 2013-11-20 | 2013 | 2013-11 | Republican | House | OH | Rob Portman | P000449 | www.portman.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – In recent weeks, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) has thrown his support behind several measures to improve the delivery and coordination of behavioral health services. Last week, Portman introduced the Behavioral Health Information Technology Coordination Act (S. 1685) to ensure mental health providers are part of the nation’s electronic medical records network. In addition, the bill would add mental health professionals to legislation passed in 2009 to assist healthcare providers in adopting health-information technology. “Due to a disconnect between our nation’s doctors and mental health care professionals, Americans suffering from mental illness are among the nation’s most underserved and overlooked populations,” said Portman. “By fixing an oversight in the system and making Health IT the bedrock to fully integrated care, my bill will enhance care and treatment for the mentally ill and put them on a path to lead healthy and productive lives.” “The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers is very excited and appreciative of Senator Portman’s introduction of the Behavioral Health IT Coordination Act (S. 1685),” said Hubert Wirtz, CEO, The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers. “Adequate investment in health care information technology is critical to enabling mental health and addiction providers to implement systems that help them improve care coordination, provide quality care, measure outcomes and enable continuity of care between primary care, mental health and addiction services. Without this, community behavioral health providers cannot adequately track outcomes, engage in wellness management, and engage in cost-effective chronic disease prevention and recovery.” Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA-18) has introduced bipartisan companion legislation in the House of Representatives. The Behavioral Health Information Technology Act (H.R. 2957) has been endorsed by the American Psychological Association, Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, National Association of Counties, National Association of County Behavioral Health Directors, National Association of Social Workers, National Council for Behavioral Health, The Jewish Federations of North America, and Netsmart Technologies. Read a one-pager here. Last week, Portman also joined a bipartisan letter to President Obama urging him to take action to strengthen our mental health system, by enhancing community mental health services for the one in four Americans living with mental health disorders. In the letter, Portman encourages the President to expand upon the good work done by President Kennedy when he signed the Community Mental Health Act into law 50 years ago and established comprehensive community mental health centers throughout the country. Since then, however, mental health services have been jeopardized by budget cuts. In order to strengthen our community mental health system, we must ensure that mental health services can be adequately reimbursed in the community, just as federally qualified health centers are reimbursed. Therefore, Portman and his colleagues urge President Obama to support moving forward with legislation by the end of the year to establish a substantial demonstration project based on the bipartisan Excellence in Mental Health Act (S.264), which has been introduced in the House and the Senate. The letter was signed by 30 Senators and can be read in its entirety here. In October, Portman cosponsored the Begich-Ayotte Mental Health First Aid Act (S. 153) that would provide support for training programs to help the public identify, understand, and address crisis situations safely. The measure also calls for protocols to increase familiarity with mental health services available in local communities, and it would provide grants for mental health awareness training programs for groups of individuals such as teachers, first responders, police officers, school and college administrators, veterans, and nurses. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |