On June 30, the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) and the Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose (CSOO), both of which ASAM is a member, held a virtual roundtable discussion with Congressman Kevin Hern (R-OK) to discuss congressional efforts to alleviate mental health and addiction challenges during the current public health emergency. During the roundtable, Congressman Hern shared the experience of his stepfather, who struggled with mental health issues, as well as his work as a member of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction.

He also highlighted efforts made by Congress on various pieces of legislation, such as the Medicaid Reentry Act, which would grant states new flexibility to restart benefits for Medicaid-eligible incarcerated individuals 30 days prior to release. Congressman Hern concluded the meeting by expressing gratitude for the work of both organizations and urging stakeholders to continue searching for innovative solutions to alleviate the mental health and addiction challenges faced by the country during this unprecedented time.

Learn more about CSOO here.

Learn more about MHLG here.

Read the Medicaid Reentry Act here.