NAMI St. Louis Advocacy Committee
Committee Charge:
We’re here to speak up for individuals and families living with mental health conditions and to help build a system of care that truly supports them. This includes bringing together public and private services in both hospital and community settings. By promoting proven, effective approaches, we want to make sure everyone has the chance to reach their full potential and live a life filled with hope, purpose, and connection.
Public Policy & Advocacy Focus 2026:
We support policies that:
• Expand community-based mental health services while navigating challenges of provider shortages (psychiatrists, therapists, culturally competent clinicians)
• Reduce waitlists at inpatient psychiatric facilities by focusing on quicker access to inpatient beds for individuals in criminal justice system because of their mental illness and determined to be incompetent to stand trial
• Support the protection of health care rights and autonomy, most notably when ensuring continuity of care during transitions to include not limited to: hospital discharges, incarceration releases, permanent supportive housing, and integrated substance use mental health services
• State-sponsored psychiatric treatment beds for non-forensic patients
We advocate for:
• Full funding for 988 call centers
• Mobile crisis teams and crisis stabilization units
• Mental-health–led responses that reduce police involvement in crises
We support:
• Diversion programs for individuals with mental illness
• Mental health courts and alternatives to detention, to include civil (Assisted Outpatient Treatment) and criminal courts
• Improving jail/prison mental health care standards
• Eliminating solitary confinement for individuals with serious mental illnesses
• Reentry support services (housing, medication continuity, case management)
We advocate for:
• Access to evidence-based care for veterans in the St. Louis area
• Suicide prevention and reintegration support
• Coordination between VA and community services
We advocate for:
• Strengthening enforcement of mental-health parity laws (state & federal)
• Expanding Medicaid and ensuring mental-health coverage
• Reducing barriers such as prior authorization for psychiatric treatment
• Advocating for Missouri state investments and policies given federal budgetary cuts and reductions in services.
We will generate increased attention and effort toward:
• Being more proactive in identifying Missouri Department of Mental Health (MoDMH) funding priorities to better advocate such funding is included in the annual state budget
• Opposing tax cut legislation (e.g., current plans to phase out Missouri's individual income tax) that does not identify what services would be reduced or eliminated because of budget cuts
• Missouri Bill HB2088 that helps improve the code for provision of Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT)
Upcoming Advocacy Committee Meetings:
Medicaid Is Changing – Here’s What You Need to Know
The One Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law on July 4, 2025. It brings sweeping changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Millions could lose access to critical mental health care.
What’s Changing?
Missouri’s Medicaid program, MO HealthNet, currently covers over 1.3 million Missourians, including:
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354,000 adults covered under Medicaid expansion
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76,000 people treated for substance use disorders
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1 in 3 people with mental health conditions
This bill could strip coverage from over 11 million people nationwide and thousands here in Missouri.
Key Impacts in Missouri
• More frequent eligibility rechecks that may push people out of coverage
• Reduced access to therapy, psychiatric medications, peer support, and crisis care
• Higher out-of-pocket costs that make care unaffordable for many
• Risk of rural clinic closures across Missouri’s already-limited network
• Disruption to Missouri’s mental health and substance use systems which rely heavily on Medicaid
What Happens Without Medicaid?
Without access to Medicaid, many Missourians will lose their lifeline to:
• Therapy and counseling
• Psychiatric medications
• Substance use treatment
• Peer support
• Crisis stabilization
• Case management
Instead, people may be forced into emergency rooms or jails which are not equipped to provide mental health care.
What Can You Do?
1. Check Your Coverage: Log in to mydss.mo.gov to update your information and avoid losing benefits due to paperwork issues.
2. Ask Your Providers: Talk to your mental health provider or clinic about what changes they anticipate.
3. Call Your State Reps: Tell them what Medicaid means to you and ask them to protect MO HealthNet and invest in mental health care.
Take Action on Public Policy Issues
Public policy makes a difference in the lives of both the people living with mental health conditions and the people in their lives. Changes in policy can mean better outcomes. Our advocacy efforts have led to many victories including:
- Securing better funding for research.
- Protecting access to treatments and services.
- Attaining mental health parity to ensure that mental illness is treated equally to physical illness in most insurance plans.
But we still have work to do, and we need your help. Learn about mental health advocacy. Talk to your neighbors, friends and family about why these issues are important. Visit the "Tell Us Your Story" section under the Take Action tab on the NAMI Advocacy Headquarters website to add your voice to our advocacy efforts.
To find your elected officials and act on legislative alerts that impact individuals and families affected by mental health conditions, visit the Find Your Elected Officials page and the Advocacy Alerts section on the NAMI Advocacy Headquarters website.
