Latest Releases
Sen. Smith Announces Significant Investment in Minnesota Youth Mental Health Programs
WASHINGTON [9.13.22] –Today, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that Minnesota will receive at least $800,000 in youth mental health grants. The grants – aimed at addressing increasing youth mental health conditions – are made possible through funding from the American Rescue Plan, which Sen. Smith helped pass earlier this year. “As we continue to address the impacts of COVID-19, another crisis has emerged – the crisis of youth mental health. When I experienced depression, resources were there for me. But right now, too many people don’t have access to the mental health care they need,” said Senator Smith. “These investments in youth mental health programs will help expand access to mental health services and ensure our kids have the resources they need. I’m proud of our efforts to pass the American Rescue Plan, which made these investments possible.” The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing youth mental health crisis. A recent survey showed that among adolescents ages 12-17, 12% said they had serious thoughts of suicide, 5.3% made a suicide plan, and 2.5% percent attempted suicide in the past year. Those who experienced a major depressive episode reported they were more likely than those who did not to feel that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected their mental health “quite a bit or a lot.” These grants will go towards enhancing the capacity of mental health organizations to support family members and caregivers who are raising kids with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Funding will also be directed to train school
Senators Smith, Merkley, Colleagues Sound Alarm on Unlawful Charges for PrEP Patients
Washington, D.C. [9.8.22] – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) led a group of their colleagues in a letter pushing health insurance companies to explain their continued practice of unlawfully charging people for PrEP, a popular drug that’s prescribed to prevent HIV. The Senators’ letter follows a deeply flawed court ruling on Wednesday that further threatens access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) on the basis of religious freedom. As the legal process moves forward, the Senators pressed the health insurance industry to abide by current law to provide medication and ancillary services without charge. “It has been brought to our attention that enrollees in your members’ health plans continue to be charged for necessary medications and ancillary services—including provider consultations and laboratory services—contrary to law and additional federal guidance issued by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury,” wrote the Senators. “We write to express our deep concern with these erroneous and unlawful charges, and to request additional information on steps that AHIP is taking to ensure that its members adhere to federal law and ensure the PrEP drugs and the full scope of PrEP ancillary services are offered without charge to enrollees.” A 2019 ruling by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) gave PrEP an “A” rating as prevention intervention for people at risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This ruling brought PrEP under section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act, which requires insurance coverage for services or interventions that have
Sen. Tina Smith’s Provisions to Improve Career and Technical Training Pass Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C [07/24/18]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said today that several provisions she authored to improve career and technical education passed a key hurdle with Senate passage Monday night. The bill would expand opportunities for young people who are looking for high-skill jobs that don’t require a four-year college degree. The bill passed with bipartisan support in the Senate Monday night. “Every student should be able to get the skills necessary to prepare for their future and create opportunity—but that doesn’t mean everyone wants to or has to go to a four-year college,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “This bipartisan bill
Sen. Tina Smith Condemns Trump Administration’s Damaging Changes to Family Planning Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/31/18]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) condemned a Trump Administration proposal that would make it harder for millions of women to access quality health care from providers they know and trust. Sen. Smith, along with 45 of her Senate colleagues, called on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to reverse course on the planned changes to the Title X family planning program and protect the care families need. “We are deeply concerned the Trump-Pence Administration’s proposed rule to update the Title X program includes a number of significant changes that run counter to Congress’s intent in establishing the
Sen. Tina Smith’s Priorities to Improve Career and Technical Training Become Law
WASHINGTON, D.C [07/31/18]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s (D-Minn.) priorities to expand workforce development were signed into law by the President today. After passing in both houses of Congress, several measures championed by Sen. Smith—aimed at helping Minnesotans and Americans get the training they need to land careers in high-demand fields—became law as part of bipartisan education legislation. “Not everyone wants to or has to go to a four-year college, but everyone should be able to get the skills necessary to lead their own lives and create opportunity for themselves and their families,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “My
Sen. Tina Smith’s Bill Would Help Students Access Mental Health Services in Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/02/18]—U.S Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is pressing for new legislation to make sure students in schools across the nation are able to access the mental health services they need, where they are. Young people experience mental health conditions about as often as adults—about 1 in 5 struggle with severe mental health problems—but they often have a hard time getting services. Schools are an ideal setting to identify students who need mental health services and quickly connect them with help. Sen. Smith’s bill—the Mental Health Services for Students Act—would help schools partner with local mental health providers to establish on-site, mental
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