This bill aims to help states "develop, test, evaluate, and implement severe mental illness chronic care improvement demonstration programs."
WHAT DOES IT DO?
1.) Beginning October 1, 2010, the Secretary of Health and Human Services "shall provide payments for not more than 10 participating States to conduct a severe mental illness chronic care improvement demonstration program."
2.) $250,000,000 has been earmarked to fund this program from 2011 to 2014.
3.) The goal is to "provide beneficiaries with regular screening, registry tracking, and outcome measurement processes at the time for psychiatric visits..."
WHO IS THE SPONSOR?
Debbie Ann Stabenow [D-MI] introduced the bill on May 21, 2009. Stabenow was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000.
The National Organization for Woman endorsed Stabenow for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services for her "long focus on health care as a priority..."
Stabenow supports regulating conservative talk radio via a measure called the "Fairness Doctrine" by which private conservative radio stations would be forced to give "equal time" to liberal points of view. Her support for these measures has been met with concerns about a conflict of interest, given that her husband Tom Athens is an executive at a number of liberal progressive talk radio networks.
On August 10, 2009, Stabenow was reported by the Detroit News as saying, "Global warming creates volatility. I feel it when I'm flying. The storms are more volatile. We are paying the price in more hurricanes and tornadoes."
On April, 2, 2008, the Detroit Free Press reported Stabenow's husband Tom Athens has been implicated in a prostitution sting. Stabenow released a statement saying "This is very disturbing and serious. Obviously it's a difficult and personal matter."
WHO ARE THE COSPONSORS?
Mark Begich [D-AK]
Michael Bennet [D-CO]
Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY]
Carl Levin [D-MI]
Bernard Sander [I-VT]
