New legislation aims to expand mental health treatment capacity, remove barriers to access care
This week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisor Kathryn Barger to support Congressional bill H.R. 8575, also known as the Michelle Alyssa Go Act.
Introduced by Congressman Daniel Goldman, the bill was inspired by the tragic death of Michelle Alyssa Go in 2022 and aims to narrow glaring gaps in mental health care systems. Ms. Go was pushed from behind onto the tracks of an oncoming train in New York City by a man with a history of mental illness. The person charged with her murder was deemed unfit to stand trial and indefinitely committed to a locked psychiatric facility.
“With the Michelle Alyssa Go Act, we are extending a lifeline to those who urgently need mental health care,” stated Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “Michelle’s tragic death spotlights the terrible connection between untreated mental illness and violent crime. Our County has an urgent need to create more comprehensive mental health support systems. By increasing psychiatric bed capacity, we are affirming our commitment to accessible care and doing more to prevent senseless attacks from taking innocent lives.”
H.R. 8575 would address the long-standing Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) exclusion, which prohibits federal Medicaid reimbursement for services in facilities with more than 16 in-patient psychiatric beds. By revising the definition of IMD, this critical legislation raises the limit for a facility to be eligible for Medicaid coverage from 16 beds to 36. This bill would create greater access to mental health treatment for low-income individuals and empower Los Angeles County to further develop its continuum of care for individuals suffering from mental illness.
“Outdated federal restrictions on inpatient care have created significant obstacles in providing effective, necessary mental health services,” expressed Matt Chase, Executive Director for the National Association of Counties (NACo), “NACo applauds the leadership of Los Angeles County and Supervisor Kathryn Barger for efforts to modernize the Institutions for Mental Diseases exclusion, reducing inequities and lowering barriers to comprehensive behavioral health treatment through this important motion.”
The bill was introduced to the House of Representatives in May 2024 and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.