Emmer seeks extended telehealth services support in next relief package

U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) led a bipartisan contingent of more than 30 members of the U.S. House of Representatives in sending a May 21 letter to House and Senate leaders requesting that expanded behavioral telehealth services be authorized in any upcoming COVID-19 response package.

“The mental telehealth care offered during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important step towards providing more access and quality care for individuals in need, and it’s important that these services continued to be offered,” Rep. Emmer said. “Telehealth is the future of healthcare, and we must begin to integrate it when appropriate in order to serve everyone where they are.”

In their letter, the lawmakers said they were concerned that thousands of individuals would seek emergency care, or turn to substance misuse or suicide, without regular access to behavioral health services.

“Telehealth is proving to be a successful means in bridging this gap of care, and it is critical that once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, access to behavioral health services does not,” the members wrote.

Specifically, Rep. Emmer and his colleagues urged congressional leadership to consider extending behavioral telehealth services in any upcoming COVID-19 response packages and to collect data toward assessing which of the services should be continued permanently, according to their letter.

The lawmakers’ effort is supported by Mental Health America, the National Association for Behavioral Health, the National Council for Behavioral Health, the American Psychological Association, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, according to Rep. Emmer’s office.

“The mental health of each American is vital to the overall health of our nation,” said Rep. Emmer. “Without proper access to care, we are doing a disservice to those most in need.”