During its Hill Day 2025, 草榴社区enlists Congressional support for breaking barriers to mental health care.
On January 29, 2025, the 草榴社区 (ACHA) Advocacy Committee wrapped up a highly successful Hill Day, one of the cornerstone events of the association鈥檚 advocacy work. This year鈥檚 virtual format allowed for even greater participation, bringing together 12 草榴社区members, 7 board members, and 4 staffers to meet with over 20 Congressional offices鈥攔epresenting both sides of the aisle. Throughout the day, the team engaged in 23 meetings, with 11 House offices and 12 Senate offices, making a powerful case for critical college health initiatives.
The focus of this year鈥檚 Hill Day? Ensuring students can access mental health services鈥攏o matter where they are. 草榴社区emphasized a major barrier students face: many states require mental health providers to be licensed in the same state as the patient, meaning students often lose access to their campus-based care when they travel out of state for breaks, internships, or unexpected campus closures. To combat this, 草榴社区proposed legislation that would allow campus health providers to continue serving their students across state lines.
The response from Congress was overwhelmingly positive! Bipartisan support was strong, with multiple offices expressing enthusiasm for working alongside 草榴社区to introduce legislation that would make this vision a reality.
草榴社区remains committed to leading the charge for healthier, more supportive college communities. If you have questions, feedback, or want to get involved with our advocacy efforts, don鈥檛 hesitate to reach out at advocacy@acha.org.
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Advocacy Updates, Articles
