Today, July 22, the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs is marking up (adding amendments) to the 21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act. This is comprehensive legislation designed to create a system that can withstand surges in disability claims without generating another veteran disability claims backlog.
Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) is planning on introducing two amendments that would directly benefit MFTs. One would support ongoing efforts to recruit and integrate more marriage and family therapists and licensed professional mental health counselors and would also include them as participating professions in the VA Office of Academic Affiliations’ Health Professionals Trainee Program.
WE NEED YOUR VOICE.
Please reach out to members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee TODAY and let them know you support Tester’s proposed amendments! The meeting is at 2:30 PM EST. We have included a suggested script below as well as phone numbers for the members of the committee. Also, please forward to other members of the MFT community!
“Hello. I am a marriage and Family Therapist and I am calling in support of Senator Tester’s amendments to S. 1203, the 21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act that is being marked up in the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs today.
Specifically I support Tester’s amendments #2 and #3 that would support ongoing efforts to recruit and integrate more licensed professional mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists and would also include them as participating professions in the VA Office of Academic Affiliations’ Health Professionals Trainee Program. “
- Johnny Isakson (R - GA) (202) 224-3643
- Senator Jerry Moran (R - KS) (202) 224-6521
- Senator John Boozman (R - AR) (202) 224-4843
- Senator Dean Heller (R - NV) (202)-224-6244
- Senator Bill Cassidy (R - LA) (202) 224-5824
- Senator Mike Rounds (R - SD) (202) 224-5842
- Senator Thom Tillis (R - NC) (202) 224-6342
- Senator Dan Sullivan (R - AK) (202)-224-3004
- Richard Blumenthal (D - CT) (202) 224-2823
- Senator Patty Murray (D - WA) (202) 224-2621
- Senator Bernie Sanders (I - VT) (202) 224-5141
- Senator Sherrod Brown (D - OH) (202) 224-2315
- Senator Mazie Hirono (D - HI) (202) 224-6361
- Senator Joe Manchin (D - WV) (202) 224-3954