The AAMFT Blog

Breaking News on MFTs in Medicare!

AAMFT is thrilled to announce that the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432), legislation that would allow MFTs, as well as MHCs, to serve as Medicare-eligible providers, has been included in the proposed omnibus package currently making its way through Congress. It is heavily anticipated that both houses of Congress will take action on this proposed legislation within the coming days.

As stated in the AAMFT Blog post from December 15, AAMFT and its allies have been advocating that Congress include the language from the Mental Health Access Improvement Act into the end of year omnibus spending package that Congress has been developing. We are pleased to report that the language from the Mental Health Access Improvement Act was included in the omnibus bill!

At over 4,100 pages, this massive omnibus bill will fund the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2023. In addition to funding the federal government, this legislation also includes many policy provisions that change federal law. One of several changes to Medicare would finally allow MFTs and MHCs to serve as recognized providers under Medicare. This legislation would allow MFTs in private practice or other settings to become Medicare-eligible providers. The effective date for allowing MFTs to start serving as Medicare providers is a year from now – January 1, 2024.

 Below are a few FAQs concerning this legislation:

• Has this omnibus package been signed into law? - No, it has not. The Senate will first vote on this legislation. If it passes the Senate, the House of Representatives must vote on it, then it would be presented to President Biden for his signature.

• When should Congress pass this omnibus package? - Congress is expected to vote and send this legislation to the President by Friday, December 23. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Senate is expected to vote on this legislation on Wednesday, with the House voting on the legislation about a day after the Senate approves the package. Funding for the federal government will end on Friday evening if Congress does not act. Therefore, there is some pressure on Congress to act this week to prevent a government shutdown.

• Is passage of this omnibus package guaranteed?  -  No. Although a majority of Members of Congress are believed to support the omnibus package as it is now, passage of any legislation is not guaranteed.

• If this legislation is signed into law, when can I enroll as a Medicare provider and start providing services to Medicare beneficiaries? - Under this legislation, MFTs and MHCs would not be able to serve as Medicare-eligible providers and bill Medicare until January 1, 2024.  This delay is needed so that the federal government can make arrangements for MFTs and MHCs to serve as Medicare providers.

Please follow AAMFT through our social media pages and the AAMFT Blog to stay informed of the progress of this legislation. Please also consider sending a grassroots message to your Members of Congress urging them to pass the omnibus package as introduced.

Thank you in advance for advocating for MFTs as Medicare providers. Your messages and outreach to Congress in support of the Mental Health Improvement Act made the difference! Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions. 

Additional information:

Statement of Support from Finance Committee Chair Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) for Mental Health Provisions in Omnibus Package

Statement from Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Health Subcommittee Chair Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA)  in Support of Healthcare Provisions in Omnibus Package

Description of Medicare Policy Changes in the Omnibus Package

Urgent: Please Contact Congress Now to Advocate for MFTs as Medicare Providers

This week, Congress is drafting a large end of year package that will fund the federal government through September 2023, as well as make some helpful changes to federal law. MFT advocates are pushing Congress to include in this package the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432), legislation that would allow MFTs and MHCs to serve as Medicare-eligible providers. We need this package to include the MFTs in Medicare legislation. Please contact your Members of Congress today to advocate for MFTs as Medicare providers. 

Contact Congress Now 

As of December 15, high-level negotiations are taking place on Capitol Hill as to how to fund the government for the rest of fiscal year 2023. These negotiations will wrap up soon. If Congress decides to pass an end of year package, also known as an Omnibus funding bill, as opposed to a Continuing Resolution which simply continues funding levels from already passed bills, Congress COULD include other policy initiatives, such as the Mental Health Access Improvement Act. For this reason, we urge you to contact your Senators and Representative in Congress NOW and urge them to include MFTs in Medicare as part of the end of the year funding legislation.  

    

Background and Progress 

Introduced in 2021 as H.R. 432 by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Rep. John Katko (R-NY) and as S. 828 by Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the Mental Health Access Improvement Act is a bill that would finally allow both  Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors to serve as independent Medicare Part B practitioners. This legislation would allow MFTs and MHCs to bill Medicare for providing covered mental health and substance use services to older adults and other Medicare beneficiaries.   

Since this legislation was introduced in early 2021, AAMFT and its allies in the Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition, who also advocate for passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, have made substantial progress in advancing this legislation so that it could be eligible for inclusion in the end of year package: 

Support in the House of Representatives: Currently, 97 Members in the House of Representatives are cosponsoring H.R. 432, with strong bipartisan support. Earlier this year, the Mental Health Access Improvement Act was passed by a key House committee with jurisdiction over Medicare. On September 21, the House Ways and Means Committee met to discuss and vote to move several bills to the full House of Representatives, a process known as a committee markup. At this markup, the Ways and Means committee unanimously voted to move to the full House for consideration the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 432). This vote was an important step in the process of moving this legislation forward. Legislation that has been approved by a committee is more likely to be considered in a larger package than bills that have not been considered by a committee. 

Support in the Senate: In the Senate, 34 Senators are cosponsoring S. 828, which is a record amount of support for any MFTs and MHCs in Medicare legislation in the Senate. In September, the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare in the Senate, released a discussion draft of legislation to address mental health workforce needs and challenges. This draft includes legislation to add MFTs and MHCs as Medicare providers (S. 828), along with many other provisions to expand the behavioral health workforce. The release of this draft represents the most important action by the Senate in twelve years pertaining to adding MFTs and MHCs as Medicare providers. Please see this AAMFT Blog for additional information on the committee actions from September.   

Support from AAMFT Members and Allies: MFTs, as well as MHCs, other mental health providers, and allies, have been active and engaged in reaching out to their Members of Congress to advocate for the Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Thousands of email messages in support of this legislation have been sent by MFTs and MHCs to Congress. AAMFT members and other mental health providers have met with the offices of Members of Congress to advocate for this issue as well as AAMFT and its allies in the Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition. 

In addition, inclusion of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act in the end of year package is supported by a wide number of organizations besides associations representing MFTs and MHCs. Congress has received letters of support for including this legislation in the end of year package from groups as diverse as the Mental Health Liaison Group and the American Hospital Association. 

 

What You Can Do   

 Negotiations are occurring now to determine which bills make it into the omnibus, and it is unknown which bills would be included. These negotiations will end very soon, and a vote on the end of year package will occur next week. This is the best opportunity for passage of the MFTs in Medicare legislation in over twelve years. Therefore, it is imperative to contact your Members of Congress NOW to let them know that you want Congress to include the Mental Health Access Improvement Act in the end of year package.   

Finally, you can advocate for MFTs in Medicare by sending a message to your Members of Congress through AAMFT’s grassroots advocacy platform. If you have friends, family or colleagues who are also constituents of your Member of Congress, they can use this grassroots advocacy platform to send a message advocating for MFTs in Medicare. If you wish to send a more personalized message to your Members of Congress, use this link to find your Members of Congress and click on their profiles to find their D.C. office contact information.  

 

Thank you in advance for advocating for MFTs as Medicare providers. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.   

The Respect for Marriage Act – The MFT Perspective

Just last week, the Respect for Marriage Act passed in the House 258-169, marking an incredibly historic moment for not only the country, but also for marriage and family therapists. The first version of this bill was originally introduced back in 2009 and was reintroduced into Congress this past summer. The revised version still included protections for same-sex marriages, but now extends protections to interracial couples. The Senate previously passed the bill in November. 

The bill is on its way to Biden’s desk, which he says upon House passage of the bill, President Biden said he “looks forward to signing into law” this landmark legislation. Biden writes, “The House’s bipartisan passage of the Respect for Marriage Act—by a significant margin—will give peace of mind to millions of LGBTQI+ and interracial couples who are now guaranteed the rights and protections to which they and their children are entitled.” Biden signed the bill yesterday afternoon during a large celebration at the White House, marking a huge step forward for the field of marriage and family therapy.  

This past year, the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (JMFT) released its Decade In Review– a special issue released every ten years that reviews what the past 10 years of systemic therapy research has to say about various topics within the field. This review included a special article on how couple and family therapy research can reduce mental health disparities for racially and ethnically diverse populations. The article reviewed research surrounding minority, interracial and LGBTQI+ couples, advocating for their inclusion in systemic therapy research and studies in order to advance the field.  

LGBTQI+ individuals are already more likely to struggle with issues like depression and anxiety, due to the stigmas and discrimination they face. Similarly, interracial couples face issues with stereotyping, isolation, negative comments, and rejection, which can often lead and contribute to mental health issues. These mental health concerns impact more than just the individual– they affect the entire family, marriage, and relationship structure. Thus, marriage and family therapy can help address and resolve these issues from a systemic perspective, mitigating any stressors or implications they may cause in marriages.  

JMFT’s Decade in Review article on mental health disparities noted that only 68 of the 271 (25%) articles they examined included predominantly racial/ethnic minority samples or globally underserved populations. Among the 60 relevant articles examined, there was a pattern of inattention to methodological considerations relevant to diverse populations. LGBTQI+ and interracial couples deserve to have the mental health and marriage therapy resources they need to maintain healthy relationships. The passing of this bill is just the first step towards including, accepting, and appreciating LGBTQI and interracial couples, both inside and outside the therapy room. 

Hurricane Ian Resources and Information

AAMFT is a member of the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Partners coalition. AAMFT has been participating in this coalition for many years.

Hurricane Ian strengthened into a Category 4 storm Wednesday and is expected to hit Florida’s west coast. The National Hurricane Center has warned of “life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds and flooding in the Florida Peninsula," with millions under evacuation orders. Read more on the Red Cross website .

Resources

The resources below have been created by member MFTs or compiled by AAMFT.

• How to Prepare for a Hurricane

• Systemic Therapists on the Frontlines of Climate Change

• Disastershock- How to cope with the emotional stress of a major disaster

• Helping Families Cope with Disaster

• Attending to the Whole System: Eco-Informed Family Therapy

• Tips for Parenting During Times of Crisis

Volunteering

MFTs and other mental health professionals are eligible to serve as Red Cross Disaster Mental Health providers. Learn more about disaster mental health and volunteering with the Red Cross.

Our thoughts are with our members and the many people in the path of Ian, as well as the first responders who will help. Please take all necessary precautions and stay safe.

 

Significant MFTs in Medicare Action by Congress This Week

This week, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have moved forward with legislation to add MFTs, as well as counselors, as Medicare-eligible providers!

House of Representatives: On Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee met to discuss and vote to move several bills to the full House of Representatives, a process known as a committee markup. At this markup, the Ways and Means committee unanimously voted to move to the full House for consideration the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 432) – legislation that would add MFTs and MHCs as Medicare providers.

This vote is an important step in the process of moving the Mental Health Access Improvement Act through Congress. AAMFT would like to thank Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and John Katko (R-NY) for sponsoring H.R.432. In addition, we greatly appreciate Representative Thompson’s efforts, as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, to move this legislation forward and to speak so strongly in support of H.R. 432 during Wednesday’s hearing. In this markup on Wednesday, the legislation to add LMFTs and LMHCs as Medicare providers (H.R. 432) passed in a package along with four other bills related to mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

Senate: In addition to action by the House Ways and Means Committee this week, the Senate also took action in support of S. 828, the Senate version of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act. On Thursday, four members of the Senate Finance Committee released a discussion draft of legislation to address mental health workforce needs and challenges.  Released by Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), this draft includes legislation to add LMFTs and LMHCs as Medicare providers (S. 828), along with many other provisions to expand the behavioral health workforce.

The release of this draft represents the most important action by the Senate in twelve years pertaining to adding LMFTs and LMHCs as Medicare providers. AAMFT would like to thank Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and Senator Stabenow for sponsoring S. 828. We would also like to thank Senator Stabenow and the other three Senators for all of their work on this discussion draft.

This is the third discussion draft released by the Finance Committee, as the Committee previously released drafts pertaining to telehealth and youth mental health. As mentioned in an AAMFT Blog article earlier this year, the Finance Committee started soliciting comments a year ago from stakeholders to gather information on legislative proposals that will improve access to healthcare services for Americans with behavioral health disorders.  AAMFT and many other organizations submitted comments.

In addition to the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as Medicare providers, this discussion draft, known as the Behavioral Health Workforce of the Future Act, would make many other significant changes to enhance the mental health workforce, such as funding 400 additional Graduate Medical Education slots for psychiatry residencies, updating Medicare coverage for licensed clinical social workers, and allowing psychologist trainees to provide services under the general supervision, as opposed to the direct supervision, of a licensed clinical psychologist. Of particular note, this draft would expand the current Medicare Health Professional Shortage Area bonus program to increase bonus payments for psychiatrists who practice in shortage areas, as well as for the first time allow for MFTs, MHCs, psychologists, clinical social workers, and other non-physician providers to receive bonuses when they provide services to Medicare enrollees while practicing in health professional shortage areas. This provision is the first legislative text ever introduced that would allow LMFTs and LMHCs to receive these particular bonus payments when providing those services.

Next Steps:

The next step for this legislation in the House of Representatives would be to have a vote by the full House to pass H.R. 432. Since Congress is not in session for much of October, any such vote would likely not occur until after the midterm elections on November 8. AAMFT and its allies will be encouraging the Senate to move forward on this discussion draft and other behavioral health proposals.

AAMFT would like to thank all Family TEAM members, other AAMFT members, and their allies and friends who have submitted grassroots messages to Members of Congress in support of the MFTs in Medicare legislation in both the House and Senate. These messages have led to Members of Congress supporting this important legislation.

Do you want to help continue the momentum? Please thank your Members of Congress in the House and Senate who have supported adding MFTs as Medicare providers. If you have not already done so, you can advocate for MFTs as Medicare providers by sending a message to your Members of Congress through AAMFT’s grassroots portal urging your Members of Congress to support MFTs as Medicare providers. AAMFT has also created a special grassroots message that friends and family of AAMFT members can send to their Members of Congress to advocate for this vital legislation. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

House Ways and Means Committee’s press release on passage of H.R. 432 and other healthcare bills

Representative Mike Thompson’s press release on H.R. 432

Senate Finance Committee’s press release on mental health workforce discussion draft that includes S. 828.

Summary of the Behavioral Health Workforce of the Future Act Senate Finance Committee draft.

AAMFT Opposition to CareDash Business Practices

Many AAMFT members may have heard about problems involving CareDash, a company that provides a public online portal to search for therapists and other healthcare providers. Many members are reporting that their professional profiles have been created on this website without their knowledge. It appears that CareDash has created profiles for LMFTs and other providers without their consent. The company claims that information for these profiles is generated from data that appears on public (government) websites. 

When potential clients click on the profile of a therapist not registered with CareDash, the CareDash site informs them that the LMFT has not registered with CareDash, but that they can choose from other therapists, all of whom appear to be registered with BetterHelp, another site that allows potential clients to search for therapists. CareDash apparently has an affiliate relationship with BetterHelp.   

If CareDash has created a profile of you without your knowledge or consent, you can file a complaint with the government entities that investigate these complaints. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the state attorneys general offices enforce consumer protection laws that protect the public from companies that are involved in promoting or selling deceptive or misleading products or services. To file a complaint with the FTC, please visit the FTC’s complaint portal. To file a complaint with your state’s attorney general, please this state attorneys general directory. After you file your complaint, you should receive a response from the FTC or state attorney general. If these offices believe that there is a violation of laws enforced by these offices, they can act. If one of your clients proactively mentions these problems, you can refer them to the FTC or your state attorney general’s office to file a complaint.  

AAMFT opposes the actions taken by CareDash in posting providers’ information without their knowledge and encourages enforcement of any applicable violations. These deceptive business practices can potentially impede the development of healthy relationships with the mental health provider of the client’s choosing, and AAMFT is allied and in contact with mental health organizations to ensure that third parties are not profiting off a sensitive and private decision made by those seeking mental health services.  

Proposed Rule Allows MFTs Greater Flexibility in Providing Care to Medicare Beneficiaries Under Supervision

On July 7, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule for changes starting in 2023 that would expand access to behavioral health services and allow some LMFTs more flexibility in treating Medicare enrollees. Every year, CMS releases a rule, known as the physician fee schedule (PFS), which makes changes to fees CMS pays to Medicare providers and other administrative changes through rulemaking that CMS is proposing for the coming year.

Change to the Medicare “incident to” rule

CMS is proposing several changes to Medicare’s rules pertaining to behavioral health, including one major change pertaining to providing incident to services that impacts MFTs. Under current regulation , an LMFT or LMHC could provide services to Medicare beneficiaries “incident to” the services provided by a physician or other qualified supervising provider (usually a psychologist) if the LMFT or LMHC is under the direct supervision of the supervising physician or other supervising provider. Under Medicare’s current rules , “direct supervision” means that the physician or other supervising provider must be in the same office suite and be immediately available to furnish assistance and direction when the LMFT is providing services to a Medicare beneficiary.

Under the proposed rule, CMS would allow LMFTs and other qualified professionals to provide behavioral health services under the “general supervision” of a physician or other qualified supervising provider. Under the general supervision standards , an LMFT’s incident to services to a Medicare enrollee would be under the overall direction and control of the physician or other supervising provider. However, the general supervision requirements do not require the supervising practitioner to be in the same office suite as an LMFT when the LMFT is providing behavioral health services to Medicare beneficiaries. CMS believes that removing the direct supervision requirement will allow an increase in the utilization of behavioral health services by older adults and other Medicare beneficiaries.

This change, if adopted, will result in additional services to Medicare enrollees starting in 2023. However, due to overall restrictions in federal statute preventing the full and proper utilization of MFTs and MHCs as eligible providers, this change will likely not have a significant impact on the ability of Medicare enrollees to receive necessary behavioral health services or result in a significant increase in the number of LMFTs providing incident to services As most licensed behavioral health providers practice in settings where they are not employed by or working directly with physicians or other qualified supervisors, most LMFTs will not have an opportunity to utilize these new flexibilities. Many potential supervisors might not have the time or the ability to provide general supervision under the incident to standard. Other restrictions also make it difficult for this change in the incident to rule to have a significant impact on behavioral health access for most Medicare beneficiaries. The proposed rule would still not allow Medicare to directly reimburse LMFTs and would still not allow LMFTs to directly bill Medicare for services provided to Medicare enrollees.

Impact of the “incident to” rule change

AAMFT supports the expansion of the overall ability of MFTs and other behavioral health providers to provide incident to services to Medicare enrollees under the general supervision standard. The federal government’s support for expanded access to behavioral health services is reflected in President Biden’s budget for Fiscal Year 2023 , which, if adopted, would provide the largest amount of federal financial support in history for mental health services, and would modernize Medicare mental health benefits by allowing LMFTs and LMHCs to serve as Medicare eligible providers. Under the current CMS Behavioral Health Strategy , one goal is to improve access to and quality of mental health care and services.

AAMFT applauds CMS for doing as much as this agency can under federal law to improve access to behavioral health services for Medicare beneficiaries. In the proposed rule, CMS is doing all that can be done under current federal law to allow MFTs to provide services to Medicare beneficiaries, as CMS clearly states that it does not have the authority to add LMFTs and LMHCs as Medicare billable providers. Since only Congress can change federal statute to add LMFTs as providers eligible for direct reimbursement by Medicare, it is critically important that Congress pass the Mental Health Improvement Act of 2021 (S. 828/H.R. 432). If you have not already done so, please contact your Members of Congress now to urge them to pass the Mental Health Access Improvement Act.

The full text of the proposed rule can be found here . AAMFT will be providing public comments by September 6 to CMS regarding this proposed rule. Please contact AAMFT at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Statement on Roe v. Wade

Access to medically safe abortion has been a fabric of society in the United States for fifty years. And in one day that changed in many parts of our country. The Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has invoked passionate and complex feelings in Americans ranging from sadness and fear to relief and satisfaction. And these complicated feelings are playing themselves out in our relationships, our families, and our communities, often further dividing an already polarized society. Therapists are navigating these feelings both personally and with their clients as a vital support system.

Abortion is a highly complicated issue, with complex facets, for which many Americans agree there is no easy answer. However, there is no doubt that the ramifications of this legal change will most heavily impact low-income as well as marginalized segments of our population in a disproportionate way. Once again, these people most harshly bear the burden of barriers for access to care in this country.

As an organization that believes in the vitality of relationships, the strength of grassroots advocacy, and the power of fair representation we encourage you to take this time to share your thoughts with your elected representatives to ensure your voice is heard. During this time, AAMFT is committed to supporting our member therapists as they navigate the legal and ethical challenges, as well as the necessary training to support their clients, as a result of this ruling and any subsequent legislation or decisions. 

Statement on Gun Violence Crisis from 60 National Organizations

 

Download Statement on National Crisis on Gun Violence

Our organizations write to express our deep concerns about false and harmful attempts to link mental illness and gun violence. The horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 children and two adults on May 24^th is just one in a long series of mass shootings throughout our country. These shootings have one thing in common – easy access to weapons that can kill with terrifying efficiency on a massive scale.

Attempts to connect mental illness to mass shootings are a distraction that inflicts enormous damage by taking attention from solutions that could actually prevent such events. This perpetuates a false narrative that encourages stigmatization of and discrimination against the millions of Americans living with mental health conditions who are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators of it. [i] In fact, persons with mental illness account for a very small portion of gun violence. [ii] While mental health conditions are common in countries across the globe [iii] , the United States is the only country where mass shootings have become disturbingly commonplace. In fact, firearms are now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States. [iv] Not coincidentally, the U.S. is also alone in making firearms widely available with few restrictions.

Gun violence is a public health crisis, and the trauma and fear caused by mass shootings significantly worsen Americans’ mental health. A large majority of adults in the United States experience stress associated with mass shootings, and a third of U.S. adults say that fear of mass shootings stops them from going to certain places and events. [v] Moreover, research has shown that victims and members of affected communities experience increases in posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, and other signs of psychological concerns. Other studies have found that, after previous mass shootings, youth felt less safe and more fearful. [vi] These findings, many of which are unsurprising, make it all the more important to take urgent action to prevent these shootings, particularly in light of our nation’s ongoing youth mental health crisis.

Our organizations welcome continued bipartisan efforts to improve our country’s mental health and substance use systems. These should be pursued because they will enhance our collective well-being, improve and save countless lives, and lead to a more vibrant and resilient country. However, what these reforms alone will not do is address the epidemic of mass shootings. To prevent more carnage, policymakers must act now to address the national crisis of gun violence and work on a bipartisan basis to pass meaningful solutions that promote gun safety in all of our communities.

2020 Mom

A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing)

All4Ed

Alliance for Quality Education

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work

American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (previously known as CPNP)

American Council for School Social Work

American Counseling Association

American Federation of Teachers

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

American Group Psychotherapy Association

American Nurses Association

American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine

American Psychiatric Association

American Psychological Association

American School Counselor Association

American Society of Addiction Medicine

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness

Autism Society of America

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Clinical Social Work Association

Council of Administrators of Special Education

Crisis Residential Association

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

EDGE Consulting Partners

Global Alliance on Behavioral Health and Social Justice

Inseparable

International OCD Foundation

Learning Heroes

Mental Health America

MENTOR National

N.A.P.S.

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Association for Rural Mental Health

National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

National Association of School Psychologists

National Association of Social Workers

National Center for Learning Disabilities

National Council for Mental Wellbeing

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

National Eating Disorders Association

National Health Care for the Homeless Council

National Health Law Program

National League for Nursing

National Register of Health Service Psychologists

Partnership to End Addiction

Psychotherapy Action Network

RI International

School Social Work Association of America

The Advocacy Institute

The Jed Foundation

The Kennedy Forum

Well Being Trust

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[i] Brekke JS, Prindle C, Bae SW, Long JD. Risks for individuals with schizophrenia who are living in the community. Psychiatr Serv. 2001 Oct;52(10):1358-66. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.52.10.1358. PMID: 11585953.

[ii] Baumann ML, Teasdale B. Severe mental illness and firearm access: Is violence really the danger? Int J Law Psychiatry. 2018 Jan-Feb;56:44-49. doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2017.11.003. Epub 2017 Dec 7. PMID: 29701598.

[iii] Steel Z, Marnane C, Iranpour C, et al. The global prevalence of common mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis 1980-2013. Int J Epidemiol. 2014;43(2):476-493. doi:10.1093/ije/dyu038

[iv] Goldstick, Jason E., Cunningham, Rebecca M., Carter, Patrick M. Current Causes of Death in Children and Adolescents in the United States. 2022/04/20. New England Journal of Medicine, 386: 1955-1956. 10.1056/NEJMc220176. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2201761.

[v] American Psychological Association (APA) (2019). One-Third of US Adults Say Fear of Mass Shootings Prevents Them from Going to Certain Places or Events. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/08/fear-mass-shooting

[vi] For a description of relevant research see: Lowe SR, Galea S. The Mental Health Consequences of Mass Shootings. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2017 Jan;18(1):62-82. doi: 10.1177/1524838015591572. Epub 2015 Jun 17. PMID: 26084284.

AAMFT Statement and Support Resources for Mass Shootings

On behalf of the AAMFT Board of Directors and staff, we add our voices of support to those affected by the shooting in Uvalde, Texas that took the lives of 19 children and two adults simply attending and teaching at elementary school in their small Latino community. We must stand together and demonstrate compassion and empathy during times that can overwhelm and challenge our fundamental values. 

When tragedies occur, even if we are not directly affected, there is a systemic impact that can affect anyone. In the coming days, we know that many of our members and their clients will be struggling with processing these events or explaining the news of recent weeks to their children. As shootings sadly continue throughout the United States with few preventative measures, a new traumatic event may prompt mental health support to be deployed in places where violence has already impacted communities. We once again must put forward our skills as relational therapists to help those who are impacted by these threats to our sense of safety, recognizing both the immediate and long-term adverse effects that events like these have.

Just ten days ago, another shooting targeted and took the lives of ten Black residents of Buffalo, New York. This racist act of domestic terrorism traumatizes not only this community with life-threatening violence, but Black communities everywhere with white supremacist ideology adverse to their livelihood and well-being.

Marriage and family therapists are uniquely positioned to understand and recognize the systemic effect that oppression, inequity, and overt and covert racism have on individuals in marginalized communities and have a role in fostering healing and growth. Therefore, AAMFT stands in support of our members dedicated to advancing the fundamental rights, health, safety, and well-being of all individuals, relationships, and communities. As an organization, we will continue to advocate against societal inequalities and seek solutions in our clinical, research, community, and policy work to ensure that change is occurring.

As we have shared far too many times before, the resources below have been created by member MFTs or compiled by AAMFT to help support this process.

• Disastershock – How to Cope with the Emotional Stress of a Major Disaster
• Supporting Children Through Their Grief Journey
• How the Death of a Child Can Impact a Marriage
• Racial Justice Resources for MFTs
• Tips for Parenting During Times of Crisis

To share a resource with our community of MFTs, please contact us.