Policy Updates

On November 8, 2023, the Senate Finance Committee advanced key social work priorities as part of the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, which passed out of committee. NASW thanks Chairman Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Crapo (R-ID) for holding the markup and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), our longtime champions and sponsors of the Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2023 (S. 838) for making sure provisions of the bill were included in the markup.

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NASW applauds the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for allowing clinical social workers (CSWs) to receive Medicare reimbursement for Health Behavior Assessment and Intervention (HBAI) services beginning January 2024 through its Physician Fee Schedule final rule (https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2023-24184.pdf on page 547).

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On August 22, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan to help student loan borrowers lower their monthly student loan payments.

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Although the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2023, struck down President Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 of federal student debt for 40 million borrowers, the Department of Education’s (ED) July 14 Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Account Adjustment announcement and President Biden’s June 30 “Plan B” response to the Court’s ruling offer alternative ways to cancel and reduce student debt.

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H.R. 3073/S. 1452, the bipartisan Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023 (CMWRA), is a landmark bill that will fund community-led initiatives that use a public health approach to prevent and heal mental health problems caused by toxic stresses, emergencies, and disasters.

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Supreme Court Strikes Down Proposed Student Debt Cancellation

In August of 2022, President Biden announced a new student loan debt relief program that would provide eligible student loan borrowers with up to $20,000 in debt cancellation for Pell Grant recipients, and up to $10,000 in cancellation for non-Pell Grant recipients. However, ongoing lawsuits put the program on hold.

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Nearly 100 social workers from 44 states and two U.S. territories attended 143 meetings with Congressional offices in the U.S. House and Senate on June 28, 2023, to build bipartisan support for key federal legislation that will assist the social work workforce, our clients, and communities.

Read the story on Social Work Blog

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Thanks to sponsors Senator Debbie Stabenow and Representative Barbara Lee and cosponsor Senator Kyrsten Sinema the Social Work Month Resolution introductions have been made to both the US Senate and House. The Resolutions recognize with gratitude “the contributions of the millions of social workers who have advanced individual, family, community, and the Nation’s health and well-being since the founding of the social work profession over a century ago and continue to do so today.” Read the full Resolutions at S.Res. 125 and H.Res. 257.

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The FY2023 omnibus appropriations package was signed by President Biden on December 29, 2022. This $1.7 trillion-dollar spending bill will keep the government running through September 2023, the end of the current fiscal year, and also served as a year-end legislative vehicle for legislative priorities.

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In response to advocacy by NASW and our coalition partners, the Department of Education announced an extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections that was set to expire on December 31, 2022.

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