
2023 KPA Legislative Priorities (approved December 2022)
- Support education and a sustainable funding source for call centers across Kentucky to answer the national 9-8-8 suicide prevention/mental health crisis line launched earlier this year. The intermediate goal in 2023 will be to increase education and support for 988 with legislators, followed by a push in 2024 for a $ .70 mobile line fee as a funding source.
- Support increased funding for Behavioral Health services for schools and communities, including those impacted by recent natural disasters.
- Support the Crisis Aversion, Rights Retention (CARR) bill that would strengthen suicide and homicide prevention by temporarily removing guns from persons who are in crisis and are a danger to self or others, contingent on mental health evaluations being left out of the legislation.
- Support for Donna’s Law, that would allow individuals to put themselves on a “do not sell” firearms list, to strengthen individual self-advocacy for suicide prevention.
- Support for legislation that assures equitable access to maternal health programs for all women, regardless of ethnicity or the existence of substance use, and offers treatment rather than incarceration.
- Support for protecting patient-provider confidentiality and privilege when discussing reproductive healthcare and choices with patients.
- Support for reproductive rights in general, including maintaining access to abortion
- Oppose legislation that creates discriminatory healthcare practices for any marginalized population, including LGBTQ+, persons of color, and individuals living below the poverty line.
- Ban Conversion Therapy: This bill would prohibit any MH professional from practicing conversion “therapy” with a minor and make them subject to disciplinary action by their licensure board.
- Oppose Corporal Punishment in Schools: This bill would ban corporal punishment from being used in any Kentucky public school.
- Support comprehensive healthy relationship/sex education in Kentucky public schools; there is research that shows a correlation between comprehensive health education and reductions in sexual assault, dating violence, and homophobia.
- Support a requirement that insurers cover the cost of an Annual Mental Health Wellness Exam
- Support legislation that increases access to behavioral health services and supports a positive climate for psychology providers
- Support legislation to strengthen PARITY of behavioral health with physical health in all aspects of coverage, benefits, and cost.
- Support legislation that would Increase psychology’s voice in decisions affecting behavioral health, including support for evidence-based treatments and opposition to treatments found to cause harm.
- Support legislation that improves health equity for historically marginalized populations including legislation that seeks to address racism and other system inequities. Oppose legislation that discriminates against any marginalized population.
- Uphold public protection by opposing legislation allowing non-psychologists to deliver services that are clearly defined as the practice of psychology.
- Support legislation designed to address social determinants of health to improve population health outcomes in Kentucky.
Past KPA Legislative Priorities
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