WE HAD TWO VICTORIES IN FRANKFORT LAST WEEK, THANKS TO YOUR ADVOCACY!
Two of the bills that KPA members advocated for at our Legislative Day on March 1st and through action alerts have passed!
SB 91: Tim's Law
This message is from Sheila Schuster about SB 91, Tim’s Law, which was on the KPA legislative priority list. Those who came to Frankfort for KPA Legislative Day spoke in person with their legislators about it, and we have issued several Calls to Action to generate messages to legislators to support it.
SB 91 – TIM’S LAW – PASSED THE HOUSE YESTERDAY EVENING, 95-0!!!! KENTUCKY JOINS 44 OTHER STATES IN HAVING COURT-ORDERED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT FOR THOSE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS WHO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA
The effort to pass Tim’s Law – named for a gentleman from Lexington whose mother had to use the 202A Mental Inquest Warrants 37 times to get mental health treatment for her son – has taken five years of collective advocacy from mental health professionals, especially KPA members, family members, consumers and advocates!
The bill was sponsored this year by Sen. Julie Raque Adams and passed the Senate two weeks ago. We then had a successful hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, despite opposition from the public defenders and questions from the district judges. Rep. Jason Nemes (R, Louisville) carried the bill for us on the House floor and did a great job of presenting the bill. Rep. Tom Burch, the long-time sponsor of Tim’s Law, and Rep. Jim Wayne both spoke in favor of the bill, with Rep. Wayne adding a strong statement of the need for more mental health funding next year in the budget. And the voting was capped off with a statement from Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo that she was casting her “Yes” vote in memory of Tim Morton and in honor of his mother, Faye Morton!
Many, many thanks to all of you for your support and your advocacy voices in pushing the bill to passage in 2017! This was a great example of team work, with KPA and other members of the KY Mental Health Coalition working together with legislators in both chambers and across the aisle to achieve a hard-earned success.
Sheila
Sheila A. Schuster, Ph.D.
Advocacy Action Network
120 Sears Avenue, Suite 212
Louisville, KY 40207
SB 89: Smoking Cessation Coverage
KPA members who attended Legislative Day also advocated for SB 89, Insurance and Medicaid Coverage for Smoking Cessation – also passed the House yesterday (90-1) and is on its way to the Governor for his signature!
The bill was sponsored by Sen. Julie Raque Adams and had bipartisan co-sponsor support. KPA signed on as an official sponsor, and it was on our legislative priority list. This bill would require both private insurers and Medicaid to cover barrier-free smoking cessation treatment, including USPSTF-recommended and FDA-approved treatments. The bill's goal is consistent with our stance in addressing tobacco use issues in Kentucky as a significant health improvement measure. This legislation will help psychologists who offer evidence-based smoking cessation services.
Thank you for your strong advocacy!
Georgeann Brown, Ph.D.
Advocacy Chair for KPA
[email protected]
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