Legislation Previously Championed by Former Michigan U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) introduced bipartisan legislation previously championed by former Michigan U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow to expand access to mental health care in areas experiencing shortages of mental health professionals. The More Behavioral Health Providers Act – which Peters introduced with U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) – would expand the eligibility for health care professionals to receive bonus incentives from the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Physician Bonus Program to include physician assistants, nurse practitioners, mental health counselors, and other specialists who provide mental health or substance use disorder services in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). A HPSA is an area experiencing a shortage of primary care or mental health providers needed to adequately meet the needs of a community, specifically when the population to mental health provider ratio is at least 30,000 to 1. With an increasing number of Americans diagnosed with mental health disorders, this bipartisan legislation aims to incentivize health professionals to work in HPSAs to ensure all communities have access to mental health care.
“I’m proud to carry this torch for my good friend and mentor, Debbie Stabenow, who throughout her career was a champion for expanding access to mental health care for folks in Michigan and across our country,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan bill will help ensure that no matter where you live, mental health care is an option for those who need it, while providing extra support to our health care professionals who deliver this essential care. With the demand for mental health support higher than ever before, I’m going to work to see this commonsense legislation passed into law.”
Across Michigan, more than 355,000 adults suffer from a serious mental illness. Despite 1 in 7 Michiganders living with a mental health disorder, over 4.2 million Michigan residents live in an area experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals. In 2023, there were 257 mental health HPSAs designated across the state. According to the independent health research organization, KFF, Michigan requires about 144 additional psychiatrists in each shortage area to meet local mental health needs. This bipartisan bill would grow Michigan’s behavioral health care workforce and promote access to mental health services across the state.
The More Behavioral Health Providers Act is supported by numerous key stakeholders including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American Association of Physician Associates, American Psychological Association Services, and the National Association of Social Workers.
“The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is pleased to support the More Behavioral Health Providers Act, which will deliver critical financial support to nurse practitioners and other clinicians providing behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment in underserved communities,” said AANP President Dr. Stephen A. Ferrara, DNP. “We thank Senators Peters and Daines for their leadership on this bill to address clinician shortages and increase access to care for patients in need of these essential services.”
“The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) applauds Senator Daines (R-MT) and Senator Peters (D-MI) for taking action to address the heartbreaking shortage of mental health and substance use disorder providers in our communities by introducing the More Behavioral Health Providers Act. PAs stand ready to work with Congress to help patients and their families receive the care, treatment, and ongoing support they need,” said AAPA CEO Lisa M. Gables, CPA.
“We must do more to expand access to high-quality mental health care for Medicare’s growing patient population, particularly in rural and underserved areas where individuals are far less likely to receive care from mental health specialists compared to those in urban settings. Adequate reimbursement rates are essential to ensuring the participation of psychologists and other behavioral health providers in Medicare. APA Services strongly supports this bipartisan effort to invest in increasing access to mental health services for Medicare beneficiaries in rural America,” said Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, Chief Executive Officer, American Psychological Association Services, Inc.
“The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) applauds Sens. Gary Peters and Steve Daines for introducing the More Behavioral Providers Act, which will expand eligibility for the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Physician Bonus Program to clinical social workers and other providers of mental health and substance use disorder services. With our country’s continuing mental health and substance use epidemic, this legislation is meeting the moment by helping clinical social workers provide critical services to Medicare beneficiaries. Social workers stand ready, as always, to improve access to mental health and substance use services,” said Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C, Chief Executive Officer, NASW.
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