Contact: Amy Safford, Executive Director, asafford@mepa.org, 207-621-0732
For Immediate Release
Senator King Receives APA Advocacy Champion Award
Portland, Maine (March 25, 2021): At the American Psychological Association’s 2021 Advocacy Summit, Senator King was awarded the APA’s Congressional Champion Award. The APA honored Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) for their work in introducing the Mental and Behavioral Health Connectivity Act (S.3999) in the 2020 Congress.
This legislation would have permanently expanded Medicare coverage of telehealth services—beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency—to make it possible for Medicare beneficiaries to receive care in their homes and to receive audio-only services for mental and behavioral health care.
“We are delighted and honored that a Maine Senator was chosen for this national award advancing psychology, especially during this historic period when mental health treatment is more vital than ever,” says Maine Psychological Association President Thomas Cooper, PsyD. “Our state association and the APA are advocating for Congress and the Biden Administration to advance tele-behavioral health policies that provide equitable access for all people.
The Maine Psychological Association (MePA) is a membership organization whose purpose is to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting health and human welfare. Founded in 1950, MePA has a long history of effective and principled leadership in Maine.