Working Together, Children's Health Insurance Program Receives New Funding for Six Years
Washington, DC, February 2, 2018 – The American Association of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to all our involved members, staff, regional organizations, and Congressional champions on a tremendous legislative victory: new Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for six years. At each step of the way throughout a very long process, AACAP, its coalition partners, and our advocates, kept up the effort necessary to ensure that 8.9 million children would continue to have access to health insurance coverage through CHIP, including vital mental health and substance use disorder services. While the CHIP program is often known by many different names across our United States and territories, its mission is singular and vital: ensuring that families who cannot otherwise afford health insurance coverage for their children have the necessary programmatic means to access care.
AACAP applauds this tremendous legislative accomplishment and reminds all our members that advocacy works when we prioritize, stay on message, and continue contacting our legislators. On behalf of children all across America whose families now can continue to access needed mental health and substance use disorder services through CHIP, we say a heartfelt “thank you.” Our AACAP members remain at the forefront of this effort, working daily to support and provide care for those children and adolescents in need and advocating for them in all venues
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The American Association of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, an affiliated 501(c)6 non-profit organization of AACAP, was formed in 2013 as a way for child and adolescent psychiatrists to increase their advocacy activities.
The mission of the Association is to engage in health policy and advocacy activities to promote mentally healthy children, adolescents, and families and the profession of child and adolescent psychiatry.