FHR supports mental health and addiction treatment providers at federal healthcare policy event

Three Fellowship Health Resources representatives will advocate for mental health and addiction treatment providers’ incorporation into the Nation’s Health IT System at Hill Day 2011

Contributed by: Erika Sloan, Public Relations/Web Content Coordinator

Washington, D.C. – July 7, 2011 – Pam Daisey, the Director of Clinical Services at Fellowship Health Resources, Inc. (FHR), will advocate and participate in federal policy workshops in preparation to meet with state elected officials later this month as part of Hill Day 2011.

FHR Chief Information Officer Vaughn Reid and FHR Board Member Bill Emmet will also attend this year’s seventh annual Hill Day on July 19 and 20 hosted by the National Council. The FHR members are looking forward to advocating important health bills, in particular, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to spread FHR’s name and the positive clinical work that we do,” Daisey says. “Additionally, we’ll be promoting the HITECH Act, which is crucial in improving clinical health care systems for all behavioral health agencies.” 

Daisey, Reid, and Emmet will participate in many healthcare policy workshops, but will focus mostly on integrating addiction and mental health care providers into the national Health IT System with this bill (S. 539) when they meet with state representatives. “I haven’t found out yet who we will be meeting with, but I’ve sent request to Senators in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Delaware,” Daisey says.

The HITECH Act aims to increase healthcare quality, reduce medical errors, and promote care coordination by incorporating addition and mental health services in the IT system. Previously, the bill did not make it through legislation; however, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse reintroduced the bill this past March.

“By the state officials expanding the definition of eligible providers to licensed clinicians, certified addiction counselors, and behavioral healthcare facilities, funding would become more available to improve the electronic medical record that is currently being used at FHR,” Daisey says.

 Click here to read more about the HITECH ACT (S. 539) at Hill Day 2011.