2023 KPA Legislative Priorities (approved December 2022)

1. Support education and a sustainable funding source for call centers across Kentucky to answer the national 9-8-8 suicide prevention/mental health crisis line launched earlier this year. The intermediate goal in 2023 will be to increase education and support for 988 with legislators, followed by a push in 2024 for a $ .70 mobile line fee as a funding source.
   
   
2. Support increased funding for Behavioral Health services for schools and communities, including those impacted by recent natural disasters.
   
   
3. Support the Crisis Aversion, Rights Retention (CARR) bill that would strengthen suicide and homicide prevention by temporarily removing guns from persons who are in crisis and are a danger to self or others, contingent on mental health evaluations being left out of the legislation.
   
   
4. Support for Donna’s Law, that would allow individuals to put themselves on a “do not sell” firearms list, to strengthen individual self-advocacy for suicide prevention.
   
   
5. Support for legislation that assures equitable access to maternal health programs for all women, regardless of ethnicity or the existence of substance use, and offers treatment rather than incarceration.
   
   
6. Support for protecting patient-provider confidentiality and privilege when discussing reproductive healthcare and choices with patients.
   
   
7. Support for reproductive rights in general, including maintaining access to abortion
   
   
8. Oppose legislation that creates discriminatory healthcare practices for any marginalized population, including LGBTQ+, persons of color, and individuals living below the poverty line.
   
   
9. Ban Conversion Therapy:  This bill would prohibit any MH professional from practicing conversion “therapy” with a minor and make them subject to disciplinary action by their licensure board.
   
   
10.  Oppose Corporal Punishment in Schools: This bill would ban corporal punishment from being used in any Kentucky public school.
    
    
11. Support comprehensive healthy relationship/sex education in Kentucky public schools; there is research that shows a correlation between comprehensive health education and reductions in sexual assault, dating violence, and homophobia.
    
    
12. Support a requirement that insurers cover the cost of an Annual Mental Health Wellness Exam 
    
    
13. Support legislation that increases access to behavioral health services and supports a positive climate for psychology providers
    
    
14. Support legislation to strengthen PARITY of behavioral health with physical health in all aspects of coverage, benefits, and cost. 
    
    
15. Support legislation that would Increase psychology’s voice in decisions affecting behavioral health, including support for evidence-based treatments and opposition to treatments found to cause harm. 
    
    
16. Support legislation that improves health equity for historically marginalized populations including legislation that seeks to address racism and other system inequities. Oppose legislation that discriminates against any marginalized population.
    
    
17.  Uphold public protection by opposing legislation allowing non-psychologists to deliver services that are clearly defined as the practice of psychology. 
    
    
18. Support legislation designed to address social determinants of health to improve population health outcomes in Kentucky. 

Past KPA Legislative Priorities