This document outlines an advocacy campaign for healthcare reform, focusing on the Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act (H.R. 5040) and the establishment of Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Centers (FQBHCS). It encourages individuals to participate in a letter-writing campaign to influence Congress, and provides guidelines for sharing personal stories and preparing for meetings with congressional representatives. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of expanding eligibility and funding for community behavioral health organizations to improve service delivery and reimbursement rates.

1. Healthcare Reform Advocacy
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

2. Healthcare Reform Advocacy and
Essentials for Your Capitol Hill Visits
Chuck Ingoglia, Vice
President, Public Policy
June 3, 2010

3. Amplify Your Voice:
Letter-Writing Campaign
> Bring the voices from your state to Washington!
> Personal stories are one of the most powerful ways of
influencing Congress
> How to Participate:
1. Download our sample letter form on the Hill Day
website.
2. Get as many people as possible to fill it out.
3. Return completed letters to
RebeccaF@thenationalcouncil.org.
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

4. Ideas to Boost Your Community’s
Engagement
> Distribute the letter form to staff, board members,
friends, family, anyone with a story to tell!
> Leave copies in your waiting room for consumers to
fill out
> Don’t have time to print and return the letter? Use our
easy online response tool at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L67ZH85
> Email this link to everyone you know, or post it on
your website
> Make sure letter-writers know to enter your
organization’s name, so you can get the credit!
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

5. Why Your Stories Matter
May 20, 2010
Dear Ms. Lenore Barsness,
[The Congressman] wanted me to inform you that because of your email
he decided to cosponsor H.R. 5040, the Health Information Technology
Extension for Behavior Health Services Act.
Thank you for your email.
Sincerely,
[Staffer’s Name]
Legislative Director
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

6. Start by Mentioning…
> Your name, organization, and city
> Number of clients your organization serves each year
> Describe your clients
• Uninsured/Medicaid
• Diagnostic profile/disability rates
> Describe your payer mix
> Number of employees in your organization
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

7. Advocacy Issues
ASK: Please Co-sponsor the Health Information
Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act
(H.R. 5040)
> Current federal HIT funding initiatives (e.g. ARRA) do
NOT include CBHOs as entities – and many types of
providers practicing in CBHOs are excluded from the
list of “eligible providers”
• People who receive care at CBHOs will not benefit from
the benefits of HIT usage
• Limits communication between primary care providers as
CBHOs
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

8. HIT Extension Act (cont.)
> H.R. 5040 extends federal HIT incentive payments to
CBHOs and certain behavioral health providers
• Expands the list of eligible professionals to include
clinical psychologists and clinical social workers
• Allows mental health and substance abuse treatment
facilities that have at least 10% their patient volume
attributable to Medicaid recipients to receive increased
facility payments
• Allows private psychiatric hospitals that have at least
10% their patient volume attributable to Medicaid
recipients to receive these payments.
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

9. Advocacy Issues (cont.)
ASK: Please Support Legislation Creating a Definition of
Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Centers
> The coverage expansions under healthcare reform will likely
lead to:
• Increased demand in services
• Greater provider accountability for health outcomes
> Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Centers will be able to
meet these expectations
• Voluntary
• Meet clearly-defined national standards
• Receive reimbursement for the cost of providing services –
increased capacity.
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

10. FQBHCs (cont.)
> In addition, the creation of FQBHCs will:
• Establish federal status for community behavioral
health organizations (CBHOs).
• Provide a definition for such an entity that clearly
identifies treatment objectives and updates the
minimum core services required.
• Create nationwide minimum reimbursement for
community-based mental health care and substance
abuse services that reflects the cost of actually
delivering those same services – commonly referred to
as “cost-based reimbursement”.
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

11. Before You Leave, Don’t Forget To…
> Invite your Member of Congress to visit your site the
next time he/she is in the district
> Leave your business card
> Say Thank You!
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

12. Be sure to bring….
> Plenty of business cards
> Shoes you can walk in
> Temperatures will be hot! We recommend business
casual for Tuesday’s sessions (light sweaters/jackets
are recommended for cool indoor temperatures) and
business attire (suits) for Wednesday’s meetings.
www.TheNationalCouncil.org

13. Questions?
> Chuck Ingoglia, chucki@thenationalcouncil.org
• Policy issues
> Rebecca Farley, rebeccaf@thenationalcouncil.org
• Hotels, registration, schedule, other logistics
www.TheNationalCouncil.org