Behavioral Health

anxiety for website 2.2020

Behavioral health is a major public health issue in the District of Columbia. Sadly, many of the legislative and regulatory initiatives around behavioral health are tied to other public health concerns, such as opioid addiction, maternal mortality, and health equity.

In partnership with the Washington Psychiatric Society, AMA, and American Psychiatric Association (APA), MSDC works to ensure that patients receive appropriate support for behavioral health issues, that the practice of psychiatry is supported in the District, and that psychiatrists are available to patients in the District.

MSDC was a proud supporter of the Behavioral Health Parity Act of 2017, which enshrined into law that all health plans offered by an insurance carrier meet federal requirements of the Wellstone/Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

MSDC Statements and Testimony of Behavioral Health Issues

25th Council period information coming soon

 

Annual Report Details a Busy and Successful 2022

Jan 4, 2023, 07:54 AM by MSDC Staff
The report details the Society's successes and activities in calendar year 2022, highlighting a busy 12 months of working for the physician community.

 

Today, MSDC is releasing its 2022 annual report, which is its summary of activities for the previous year.

The report comes in two formats - a short video summary and a longer, more detailed written analysis. Both convey the "year that was" and share some of the Society's successes, including:

  • Holding its first ever in-person awards dinner
  • Working with the Council to introduce prior authorization legislation
  • Expanding member-driven content, groups, and events
  • And partnering with new groups, among other successes.

You can view the video summary here.

You can read the annual report here.

Sample of Legislation MSDC is Tracking in Behavioral Health

(see the whole list of bills here)

Suicide Prevention Continuing Education Amendment Act of 2019 (B23-543)

What does it do? The bill requires licensed health providers to complete 2 hours of CME on suicide prevention, assessment, and screening.

MSDC position: MSDC opposes the bill as written as the language does not encourage physician wellbeing or sufficient awareness of suicide prevention.

Current status: The bill had a hearing with the Committee on Health on June 10.