Access the 21st Century Cures Act

Read the Act legislation, introduced on 01/06/2015 by Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

​​Go to: H.R.34 - The 21st Century Cures Act​​

3 Key Behavioral Health Provisions

1. Promotes greater access to behavioral health treatment to remedy shrinking funding for and access to services.
Graphic of a map of the U.S. showing decreasing State mental health budgets
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness
Graphic showing mental health workforce shortage and consequent increase in incarceration in the U.S.
Source: Mental Health America
2. Enhances the behavioral health workforce to address critical shortages nationwide.
3. Strengthens enforcement of mental health parity legislation.
Graphic showing what should be equal in coverage for mental health parity
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Podcast overview of the Cures Act

Listen to the podcast (9:32 minutes)

Academy for Policymakers Co-Director, Sam Shore, reviews the main behavioral health provisions of the Cures Act
Download the transcript 

Leading Practices for Certifying Peer Specialists

Learn about the GAO's survey of best practices for training and certifying mental health peer specialists.

Analyses of the 21st Century Cures Act

​The National Alliance on Mental Illness' analysis of the Act's mental health & criminal justice provisions

​​Provisions of the mental health bill in the Cures Act

Cures Act provisions regarding AOT, inpatient care, data collection, SAMHSA oversight, and HIPAA

The National Council's analysis of the Act

​Who wins and who loses under the Act?
​Views expressed on the Academy for Policymakers web site do not necessarily represent those of our Center or any federal agency. Our mission is to share the latest policy information and the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders without endorsement.