CALL TO ACTION ALERTS will be posted here and are TIME-SENSITIVE.
Find your Oregon Legislators at: https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
Monday, Mar 20th 2017
SB833 addressing Peer Support / Family Support referrals after suicide attempts and/or completed suicides by hospital Emergency Depts. and/or Law Enforcement has a work session 1pm, at the Oregon State Capitol (900 Court St. Salem OR 97301), Hearing Room D.
Also, NCMHR (National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery, for which OCSC is a statewide chapter) has a Press Release:
Press Release
For immediate release
National Advocacy Organization of People with Psychiatric Histories Urges Congress to Reject Trumpcare
WASHINGTON (3/20/17)—The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR), a national organization comprising statewide organizations of individuals with lived experience of a mental health condition as well as individual members, strongly urges legislators to oppose the American Health Care Act.
“The Congressionally proposed American Health Care Act, also known as Trumpcare, is un-American and would have a disastrous impact on the lives of millions of vulnerable Americans,” said Daniel B. Fisher, M.D., Ph.D., a founder and board member of the NCMHR.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has calculated that, if it becomes law, the American Health Care Act will cause 24 million Americans to lose healthcare coverage by 2026. It would cause premiums for single policyholders to increase by 15% to 20% by 2018.
Especially disastrous would be Trumpcare’s impact on Medicaid.
“Trumpcare would cause states to lose $370 billion in federal Medicaid funding,” Dr. Fisher said. “Furthermore, Trumpcare would remove a requirement that currently exists under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to provide mental health coverage, as well as coverage of substance use disorder treatment. It would be up to the state legislatures to decide whether to include such coverage.
“However, many states would not require insurance coverage of mental health or substance abuse services. This would leave a huge number of people who have mental health and/or substance use issues without affordable services,” he said. According to a recent article in The Washington Post, “Nearly 1.3 million people receive treatment for mental-health and substance abuse disorders under the Medicaid expansion.”
“We represent millions of persons with mental health conditions who are grateful that the ACA increased the number of people with health care coverage by 22 million Americans. We call on Congress to reject Trumpcare and instead improve upon the ACA, which has already proved indispensable to countless numbers of Americans.”
The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (NCMHR) works to ensure that individuals with lived experience of a mental health condition have a major voice in the development and implementation of health care, mental health, and social policies at the state and national levels, empowering people to recover and lead a full life in the community.
Contact: Daniel B. Fisher, M.D., Ph.D., daniefisher@gmail.com, 877-246-9058
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Tuesday, Feb 21st 2017
Action Message: Support Peer Services!
Attend this Public Budget Hearing of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, House Bill HB5026, at the Oregon State Capitol in room HR-F on Tuesday, Feb 21st @ 8:30 a.m. Address: 900 Court St. NE, Hearing Room (HR-F), Salem, Oregon 97301.
This committee helps decide how much funding is available for mental health and addiction programs across the state. House Bill 5026 is the piece of legislation that determines the budget for Oregon Health Authority, which helps support behavioral health services for all Oregonians.
For further information on HB5026 visit: https://www.legiscan.com/OR/bill/HB5026/2017
(Connect with Kevin Fitts by phone at: 503-752-9713)
Tuesday, Feb 21st 2017
RAC (Rules Advisory Committee) Meeting incl. PDS and more
PHONE or IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION – Tuesday Feb 21st 9:30am-5PM – HSB Room 357 @ 500 Summer Street Salem OR 97301
Please attend or call in to participate in the Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) being held 9:30am-5:00PM at the OHA (Oregon Health Authority) HSB (Barbara Roberts / Human Services Building) 3rd Floor, Room 357 (Bring Photo ID if you plan to attend in person) at 500 Summer Street, Salem OR 97301.
Conference Line: 1-877-336-1828
Participant Code: 907760
See details at: https://www.unitedvoiceforchange.org/event/call-to-action-rac-rules-advisory-committee-at-hsb/?instance_id=445
Schedule for the Day:
Enhanced Care Services (OAR 309-019)- Lisa Peetz @ 9:30am
Peer Delivered Services (OAR 309-019)- Shawn Clark @ 10:15-11:15
Mobile Crisis Services (OAR 309-019)- Wendy Chavez @11:30-12:30
Lunch/Break @12:30-1:15
Crisis Line Services (OAR 309-019)- Jennifer Rees @1:15-2:15
Supported Employment (OAR 309-019)- Wendy Chavez @2:30-3:15
Acute Care Services (OAR 309-032)- Jennifer Rees @3:30-5:00
2017 Legislative Session
Call your legislators (senators and representatives, including committee (co)/chairs and members) regarding Medicaid cuts.
Here is a FACT SHEET flyer from the Commonwealth Foundation regarding Medicaid:
Wed Feb 8th – Fri Feb 17th 2017
Please Call the office of the Honorable Representative and House Health Care Committee Chair Mitch Greenlick (Democrat District 33 in Portland)
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1433 District Phone: 503-297-2416 Email: Rep.MitchGreenlick@state.or.us Office: 900 Court St. NE, H-493, Salem, Oregon 97301
Please leave a message and communicate your name, address, and how you feel about the value of peer support, and whether or not you support House Bill HB2304 in the 2017 legislative session (which adds family and youth peer support to statutory language) and/or the amendment which states: “Requires coordinated care organizations to ensure members have access to peer support specialists. Authorizes Oregon Health Authority to adopt qualification criteria for traditional health workers utilized by coordinated care organizations.”
Full text of HB2304 with the amendment can be viewed at: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2304/Introduced
Greenlick’s office needs to hear a chorus of support, lest this bill sit and/or die in committee.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the following pages which may have relevant CALL TO ACTION Alerts:
DRO – Disability Rights Oregon
NCMHR – National Coalition of Mental Health Recovery
GOVTRACK.US – Government Tracking of Pending Bills, Legislation, etc.
If you have suggested Call to Action alert resources, please send them in an email to OCSC (webmail ‘at’ UnitedVoiceForChange ‘dot’ org).