Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today that he will be hosting a roundtable in Davenport on TUESDAY, July 19th, to meet with mental health care providers to discuss the Children’s Access to Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Act. The CAMHS Act provides increased and much-needed funding for statewide or regional networks of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, who work with primary care providers to train and provide support on pediatric behavioral health care. These networks are currently funded through a patchwork of private and public dollars and often lack the resources to incentivize mental health professionals to get involved. Loebsack introduced this legislation to help increase access to mental health services for children.
“There are simply not enough mental and behavioral health professionals across the country to provide services for those who need them. Finding providers with pediatric experience can be even more difficult,” said Loebsack. “My legislation will help address the shortage by growing Child Behavioral Health Access Programs to make sure our children get the mental health care they need.”
Children’s Access to Mental Health Roundtable
1:00pm
Scott County Administration Building
6th Floor Conference Room #605A & B
600 W 4th Street
Davenport
Background on the Children’s Access to Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Act
Child Behavioral Health Access Programs are statewide or regional networks of mental health professionals that help expand the ability of pediatric primary care providers to deliver family-centered behavioral health care. Professionals in these programs include, but are not limited to, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, and substance abuse counselors. The CAMHS Act provides an enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for administrative costs for state and regional Child Behavioral Health Access Programs.
###
