Minnesota Hospital Association

Policy & Advocacy

rules, regulations and comments

The Minnesota Hospital Association continually monitors state and federal rules and regulations to keep members informed and advocates on behalf of members regarding the impact of regulations on the state’s hospitals and health systems. MHA submits comment letters to share recommendations and feedback with the appropriate government organizations and health care stakeholders. Examples of rules and regulations that MHA addresses include those implementing federal or state health care reform efforts, changing payment methodologies, establishing community benefit or other standards for tax-exempt organizations, or modifying government oversight of health care activities.

March 30, 2015

MHA comments regarding to advance mental health reforms to increase access to care

March 23, 2015

Senator Tony Lourey
Chair, Senate Health and Human Services Budget Division
G‐12 Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155

Dear Chair Lourey and committee members:

The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA), on behalf of its 143 member hospitals and their respective health systems, has made mental health a priority for the 2015 legislative session.

Concerns about the urgent need for increased access to mental and behavioral health services, especially crisis and community‐based services, emanate from every corner of the state. MHA is collaborating with the mental health community to champion reforms aimed at strengthening community services and timely access to appropriate care for people with mental illnesses.

There are many mental health proposals before the legislature this session. MHA members have indicated support for legislation that strengthens the state’s community mental health infrastructure, with an emphasis on providing the appropriate treatment for people with mental illnesses when they need it, in their communities. Specific mental health initiatives MHA supports include:

  • Funding to support and improve evidenced‐based models of mental and behavioral health care delivery, such as mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization services, crisis residential services, and Intensive Residential Treatment Services (IRTS).
  • Improving access to and payment of tele‐mental health services.
  • Implementing Behavioral Health Homes (BHH) that integrate primary and mental health care services to deliver evidence‐based and coordinated care in local communities. Launching this initiative in our Medical Assistance program is more affordable now because the federal government will pay 90% of the costs for the first two years.
  • Increasing the capacity of the children’s mental health system to better meet the mental healthcare needs of our children and adolescents locally through the creation of Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs).
  • Funding “protected transport” nonemergency transportation to allow people experiencing a mental health crisis to be transferred between providers without the stigma of traveling by ambulance or law enforcement.
  • Growing the mental health workforce by training more psychiatrists and expanding loan forgiveness for additional mental health providers.
  • Funding supportive housing initiatives.
  • Increasing reimbursement rates for mental health providers.

MHA realizes the legislature will have difficult decisions to make regarding the budget. We respectfully request funding decisions prioritize mental health spending by weighing whether a proposal is community‐based, evidenced‐based, and supported by the people the proposal is meant to assist. The initiatives listed above meet these criteria. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any additional questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Lawrence J. Massa, M.S., FACHE
President and CEO
Minnesota Hospital Association