Legislative Platform
Indiana Council 2024 Legislative and Public Policy Platform
For the 2024 legislative session, the Indiana Council has identified the following primary areas of advocacy on behalf of the community based mental health and substance use treatment system in Indiana.
The Indiana Council Supports:
- BUILDING SUPPORT FOR CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS (CCBHC)
The Indiana Council thanks the legislature for passing SB 1- Behavioral Health Matters last session and allocating 50 million per budget year to mental health. The Council is advocating that this budget allocation goes to the CMHC system which provides system-based care to assist with the crisis response and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) infrastructure build that SB1 requires.
This would ensure that CMHC/CCBHC have the financial resources needed to provide quality mental health and substance use services while expanding our infrastructure, which is the safety net for community mental health treatment within their communities. - CCBHC IS THE NEW OPERATING SYSTEM FOR CMHCs:
The Indiana Council supports all 24 CMHCs to be the mental health and substance use system for the CCBHC demonstration.
CMHCs are the safety net for people with behavioral health issues. CMHCs have delivered on the promise of community-based support for Hoosiers since the 1970s. Their nearly 60 years of experience and roots in our communities are an important asset to the State and those we serve. Without this system the state’s hospitals and jails would be impacted even more than they are today.
The CMHC model needs modernization. Healthcare, community support treatment models, and workforce have dramatically changed over the years. CCBHC is a vehicle for Indiana to modernize our “operating system”. Meaning regulations, program requirements, data, Evidence Based Programs, and reimbursement need modernized.
The Council supports organization of our CMHC system through using the CCBHC model as the “Spine” to our operating system.
We encourage the state to evaluate all of the current services that CMHCs provides and include as many as possible within the 9 core CCBHC services into the Indiana CCBHC model.
We ask the State to continue to support the current CMHC system during the transition of CCBHC.
- BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER NEEDS WITHIN INDIANA’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM:
The Council supports the work that the legislature did last session to help in reaching the Behavioral Health Commission long-term goal to prevent as many individuals as possible with behavioral health challenges from entering the criminal justice system through the work of HB 1006- Mental Health Programs. The Council looks forward to working with the legislature on how to improve this language around: The Indiana Council supports legislation that requires the State to develop a plan for the continuation and expansion of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC) grantee program, while developing infrastructure and implementation of Prospective Payment System rate methodology along with transition of all current CMHCs to the CCBHC model over a period of 3 years. CCBHC service requirements shall be considered an emerging best practice for comprehensive behavioral health service providers accredited by the Division of Mental Health & Addictions. Transition to CCBHC model implementation shall consider needed support to Medicaid Rehabilitation Option during this transition and determining where it fits within this new payor structure. The Indiana Council supports a study regarding the barrier of criminal record barriers to employment in behavioral health including certified peer recovery positions and other behavioral health professionals.
- BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE:
There are numerous challenges for recruiting and retaining a quality workforce necessary to meet the needs of Hoosiers with behavioral health concerns. Particularly in the underfunding of CMHCs which are the safety net in Indiana communities. This has resulted in low wages, high caseloads; resulting in high burnout; and high turnover rates. The Council supports any of the following policy recommendations to assist in improving our workforce.
To increase the Peer rate, as well as other rates to assist with recruitment and retention. Appropriate sustainable funds for a long-term student loan repayment or tuition reimbursement program for behavioral health professionals committed to working in Indiana and serving underserved communities.
Expand universal licensure recognition language to behavioral health licenses issued under the State Psychology and Behavioral Health and Human Services Board. Facilitate the implementation of physician and psychology compacts as well as other future compacts advocated for by other IPLA- recognized behavioral health professions.