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On May 4, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Institute hosted a summit titled, “Mental Health and Overmedicalization.” During his closing remarks, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy introduced a plan to “promote appropriate psychiatric prescribing and drive deprescribing when clinically indicated.”

His plan includes education and outreach, program and policy actions, and research to practice efforts. Educational opportunities include webinars and panels hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and featuring technical experts. Program and policy actions include actions from HHS agencies and working with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand “evidence-based, non-medication care.” Research-to-practice initiatives include research from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Learn more in the full statement from HHS .

�ֲ���ýis a proud member of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG), a nonprofit coalition of over 100 national organizations representing people with mental health and substance use conditions, family members and caregivers, providers of mental health and substance use treatment and support, advocates, and other stakeholders committed to strengthening Americans’ access to mental health and substance use care. Read MHLG’s statement on mental health and access to evidence-based care .

�ֲ���ýwill continue to monitor this developing situation and provide additional updates as the action steps begin. If you would like to become involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts, please contact us at advocacy@counseling.org.