NACo briefs Congress on behavioral health issues

On November 5, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that all 50 states submitted applications for the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.

Looming reforms include H.R. 1 cuts to Medicaid and restrictions to Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grants and an executive order’s restrictions on harm reduction initiatives and replacement of the “Housing First” approach to substance use disorder and homelessness with a treatment-first model.