Bipartisan Bulletin: Cheers to Your Health

They say that April showers bring May flowers. As we look forward to Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the Bipartisan Policy Center is proud to see the seeds of our policy solutions blossoming into improvements for Americans’ wellbeing—but we still have a long way to go. Nearly 58 million adults in the U.S. suffer from mental illness and less than half receive treatment. BPC's Health team is hard at work developing solutions to improve access to care for individuals across the country to close that gap.  

Policymakers across the political spectrum agree we need to improve mental health treatment and outcomes. BPC turns those common goals into real solutions. Last year, Congress passed legislation that included many of BPC's recommendations, including expanding Medicare to cover more behavioral health providers; reauthorizing substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery programs; and improving the integration of behavioral health with primary care. Since then, we've released new solutions to fill the gaps in the behavioral health workforce and, later this year, we'll be launching a task force to address the growing youth behavioral health crisis. 

Our balanced, practical approach to policymaking creates tangible benefits for the health of all Americans. BPC's Medicare telehealth data analysis and resulting policy recommendations, and tools like our Medicare Telehealth Spending Estimator are laying the groundwork for policymakers to chart an effective path forward to maintain access to telehealth, including for behavioral health care.

Thanks to the support of our friends and partners, BPC continues to be a trusted resource for durable policy solutions with real results.

In Case You Missed It

Bipartisan Bulletin LIVE - Earth Day Debrief

Last week, I hosted a LinkedIn Live conversation about the latest on climate policy with Lesley Jantarasami , managing director of our Energy Program, and  Spencer Pederson , senior vice president of public affairs at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) . We talked about how we can reach responsible climate goals and showcased recent investments in clean energy that inspire optimism. If you missed us on Thursday, don’t worry. You can watch a recording of the conversation here. 

Featured Event

Terwilliger Center Summit on Housing Supply Solutions | June 22, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street Northwest Washington, DC 20001

This summer, join us for a day-long, in-person summit focused on finding meaningful, bipartisan solutions to address the nationwide housing crisis. We will welcome experts and thought leaders in government, business, philanthropy, and more as they share their insights on ways to accelerate affordable housing preservation and construction to help Americans struggling to pay high and unsustainable housing costs. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, followed by a cocktail reception. 

Upcoming Events

Divided Government: Advancing A Conservative, Pro-Family Agenda | Economy | Monday, May 1, 2023 from 10 to 11 a.m. EDT

Trust Issues: Examining Declining Confidence in Political Institutions | Democracy | Wednesday, May 10, 2023 from 10 to 11 a.m. EDT