Capitol Connection - April 2015
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 7, 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Capitol Connection. This newsletter will feature information on the NLN’s public policy priorities and notable news from Capitol Hill and federal agencies. Keep an eye out for the NLN’s Capitol Connection on the first Tuesday of every month; next issue: May 5. The NLN Recommends $244 Million in FY 2016 for HRSA’s Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs The president’s budget for fiscal year (FY) 2016 included $231.622 million for the Title VIII nursing workforce development programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This is the same funding level as in FY 2015. The NLN is recommending a funding level of $244 million in FY 2016, the same level the Title VIII programs received in FY 2010. Below is a chart that shows funding levels for the individual programs.
The president’s budget is the official first step in the budget and appropriations process. Currently the House of Representatives and the Senate are crafting budget proposals that will outline the overall funding levels for federal agencies. The appropriations committees in Congress will use these overall funding levels to determine how much programs such as the Title VIII programs will receive in FY 2016. Stay tuned for more information as the budget and appropriations process moves forward. MEND Act Introduced in House and Senate The Making the Education of Nurses Dependable for Schools Act (MEND) Act (HR 977/S 629) introduced by former Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) provides necessary updates to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations allowing hospital-based nursing school programs to continue meeting the highest accreditation standards while remaining in compliance with governmental requirements without losing vital federal funding. The MEND Act update to CMS requirements will allow these programs to continue turning out highly skilled nurses while remaining budget neutral and maintaining the integrity of the current program. The NLN supported the MEND Act in the 113th Congress. More information can be found on the NLN’s Action Center under issues and legislation. Senators Portman and Heinrich Introduce the MEPS Act Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) recently introduced the Medical Evaluation Parity for Service Members (MEPS) Act (S 646) which will improve the way the military identifies and assesses mental health issues. The MEPS Act would institute mental health assessments for incoming recruits and also ensure that service members separating from active duty receive screenings as well. The entry screening would serve as a baseline for future mental health assessments throughout service members’ careers and help detect potential problems earlier, a key element of successful suicide prevention and mental health treatment efforts. The MEPS Act also requires the Defense Department to report on the effectiveness of mental health components of the Separation Health Assessment (SHA) service members receive when leaving active duty. This would provide more accurate information on their mental health condition as they transition to civilian life. The NLN believes all individuals must have equitable access to comprehensive health and wellness care addressing all medical conditions, including mental health and substance use disorders. The League supported previous versions of the MEPS Act. More information on the can be found on the NLN’s Action Center under issues and legislation.  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Content Box
Area can be used as a call-to-action space. The widget appears the same on every detail page. In in non, iaculis et nunc sit. A sit purus amet, bibendum pharetra ut pellentesque. Vehicula sit vitae sagittis, eu orci varius maecenas phasellus scelerisque. Nisl massa odio tincidunt varius. Facilisis enim, vitae pellentesque ut turpis. Morbi diam tellus augue scelerisque in.