Public Policy
One of the primary goals of the Network is to identify and work together as a strong voice representing the behavioral health provider community in greater Houston. Because, however, our members represent service providers from all different sectors (profit and nonprofit, private and public), the group is not in agreement on all public policy issues that arise. Thus the Network only works to address those public policy agendas of which the entire group is in support. Typically, the main concerns of interest are and will continue to be funding and reimbursement rates and access to care.
For the 86th Legislative Session, NBHP’s top issue is to ensure that the Legislature continues to invest in and build out the current capacity of the behavioral health system through a full continuum of care, ranging from prevention and early intervention services to outpatient, community-based services to inpatient and residential services to post-inpatient, long-term care, housing and peer support services.
In order to achieve this, we recommend the following:
- Increase funding for a broad spectrum of prevention and early intervention activities for mental illness and substance use disorders, including for suicide and opioid overdose prevention.
- Improve access to behavioral health services for children, including on school campuses
- Increase jail diversion options for people with behavioral health issue
- Expand supportive housing and recovery housing options for people with behavioral health issues
- Expand Medicaid or other coverage options for people with behavioral health issues
Latest Policy Updates as of May 15, 2019.
Here are the final list of bills NBHP will be supporting, NBHP Bills To Support.
For a more complete list of mental health and substance use disorder legislation we are tracking, please check out the Bill Tracker.
| NBHP Legislative Platform Final.pdf |
NBHP Legislative Lunch at the Capitol
On February 5, 2019, NBHP members traveled to Austin for a lunch with legislators with legislators and staff. The group provided them with an overview of NBHP's work, shared our legislative platform, and discussed how NBHP can be a resource to them during the 86th Legislative Session. With the lunch and subsequent visits, the group was able to meet with the majority of the Harris County Legislative Delegation. Coincidentally, that same day, Governor Greg Abbott delivered his State of the State Address and declared improving school safety and creating the Texas Mental Health Care Consortium as emergency items for the legislative session.
On February 5, 2019, NBHP members traveled to Austin for a lunch with legislators with legislators and staff. The group provided them with an overview of NBHP's work, shared our legislative platform, and discussed how NBHP can be a resource to them during the 86th Legislative Session. With the lunch and subsequent visits, the group was able to meet with the majority of the Harris County Legislative Delegation. Coincidentally, that same day, Governor Greg Abbott delivered his State of the State Address and declared improving school safety and creating the Texas Mental Health Care Consortium as emergency items for the legislative session.
