[Alexandria, VA]— The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) earned a Power of Associations Silver Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for its successful MFTs in Medicare: A New Approach for a Better Tomorrow initiative.
Access to mental healthcare in the United States has been a perennial issue, however, it has been exacerbated and reached a tipping point with the COVID-19 crisis, the opioid epidemic, and the increase in mass violence incidents. As the environment around us has shifted, and the demand for mental healthcare for those dealing with chronic and acute issues expanded, it highlighted the weaknesses in our current system. Medicare, the largest insurance provider in the United States, failed to provide access to over 40% of the licensed and trained therapists in this country. With an already exponentially growing senior population now living longer than ever and facing isolation from families and growing health concerns and trauma, the problems with access to care that AAMFT had been highlighting for decades truly came to head.
Through a re-imagined approach to energize advocates and utilizing a unique and interactive method of conversational engagement, AAMFT generated over 23,000 actions in just a handful of weeks in this initiative. And most importantly, just a few months later, Congress and the President took action to add Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) as eligible Medicare providers in December 2022.
“Congratulations to AAMFT for exemplifying the impact associations have on the industries and professions they represent and on society at large,” said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE. “It’s always so incredibly satisfying to see associations going above and beyond their everyday mission to change the world. We’re very proud to spotlight this award-winning initiative.”
"For over 30 years, AAMFT and its member Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) have valiantly led the effort for access to care by advocating for their inclusion as Medicare-eligible providers. I am incredibly proud of our staff and grassroots advocates for envisioning new methods and approaches to re-engage and tackle this critical issue. Thanks to our members’ tenacity and dedication, MFTs will be recognized as providers able to deliver vital services to over 65 million Americans in 2024,” remarked AAMFT CEO Chris Michaels.
>>To learn more about AAMFT’s Medicare efforts, visit our Medicare webpage.
About The Power of Associations Awards
ASAE’s Power of Associations Awards recognize the associations’ economic and societal contributions locally, nationally and globally. ASAE will celebrate The Power of Associations Award winners during its annual Summit Awards Dinner on September 28, 2023, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.