APA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (June 2023)

In a letter, APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., outlined the severity of the mental health professional workforce shortage and commended several senators for the introduction of the Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act of 2023 (S 462).

The legislation would repay up to $250,000 in eligible student loans for mental health professionals who work in mental health professional shortage areas. It was introduced by Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

“Unfortunately, the delta between demand and access for psychiatric services only figures to grow in the coming years, with projections showing the country will be short between 14,280 and 31,109 psychiatrists by 2025,” Levin wrote. “To establish a robust workforce trained to meet our country’s current and future [needs for treatment], we must act now.”

APA joined with 408 national, state, and local medical, public health, and research organizations in asking House and Senate leaders to increase funding toward public health research on firearm morbidity and mortality prevention. Specifically, the organizations requested $35 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), $25 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and $1 million for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

The organizations thanked Congress for providing $12.5 million each to the CDC and NIH, as well as $1 million to the NIJ for such research in the fiscal 2023 budget. “These initial investments are a crucial step toward applying a public health approach to increasing gun safety and reducing firearm-related injuries and death,” they wrote, but noted that increased funding is needed “to overcome the decades-long lack of federal funding that set back our nation’s response to the public health issue of firearm-related morbidity and mortality.”

Additional investments could fund research on vital public health questions, such as ways to prevent unintended firearm injuries and fatalities among women and children, the most effective methods to prevent firearm-related suicides, and the best measures to prevent the next shooting at a school or public place.

In a joint letter, APA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists expressed opposition to the so-called Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 (HR 734). The legislation would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.

“If allowed to go into effect, this ban may lead to severe adverse consequences for the health and well-being of transgender female students,” the organizations wrote. “Forcing a transgender female student to participate in a sports team identifying as a cisgender male is likely to exacerbate the harmful effects of gender dysphoria … and goes against the medical consensus to treat gender dysphoria by supporting the transgender individual in living her life according to her gender identity.”

The letter also outlines the benefits that involvement in sports provides youth. It can help athletes develop self-esteem, correlates positively with overall mental health, and may be protective against suicide. ■