WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure community behavioral health organizations have sufficient funding to care for Arizonans in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The coronavirus pandemic exacerbates our nation’s ongoing mental health crisis. Providing behavioral health organizations serving Arizonans in need with proper funding is critical to ensuring the health and safety of all Arizonans as we battle the coronavirus outbreak,” said Sinema.
Currently, community behavioral health organizations have been largely left behind in the ongoing allocation of $175 billion through the Public Health and Social Services Fund (PHSSF). Many of these organizations serve low-income Arizonans, and they are facing declining revenues and increased need in the communities they serve.
Sinema recently urged Congressional leadership to include the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which designates “988” as a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline, in future coronavirus legislation.
Read Sinema’s letter HERE.
Sinema has been holding regular calls with Arizona mayors and county officials, non-profit leaders, small business owners, and first responders about the coronavirus and related relief efforts. Last week, Sinema announced she will serve on the White House task force focused on economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The task force is comprised of a bipartisan group of Senators and members of the House of Representatives, and will provide counsel to the administration on the re-opening of American businesses and employers.
In the recent Congressionally-approved coronavirus package, Sinema helped secure $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, $60 billion for smaller, disadvantaged businesses, $60 billion for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and grants, $75 billion for health care providers, and $25 billion for testing, including $11 billion directly to states. Sinema also helped secure a number of priorities in the sweeping coronavirus-response CARES Act law, including a $150 billion relief fund for state, local, and Tribal governments, $55 billion more in investments in hospitals and health care workers, and an increase in unemployment benefits. Sinema also recently wrote an op-ed outlining Arizona needs she is working to include in the next coronavirus-response legislation.
Sinema has also added a resources page to her website, www.sinema.senate.gov/corona, for Arizonans looking for the latest information on coronavirus.
