Championing Health Equity and Social Justice

Amidst rapidly shifting federal policies and legal challenges to longstanding protections, APA Service Inc.'s health equity and social justice advocacy in early 2025 has been decisive and impactful. Our efforts have defended essential safeguards and expanded opportunities for underserved populations at a time when these protections face unprecedented threats.

Defending Disability Rights

When legal challenges threatened Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act – a cornerstone of disability rights protection – APA Services provided critical resources to multiple state psychological associations (SPTAs) to combat legal threats (Texas v. Becerra) against Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, safeguarding protections for people with disabilities.

Safeguarding Equitable Access to Education and Training

In response to attacks on equity in education, APA Services joined the American Council on Education in strongly opposing federal directives aimed at dismantling equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI, referred to as DEI by the administration) programs essential for fostering equity among low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities. 

We also countered efforts to eliminate the Department of Education, joining the Committee for Education Funding in writing a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, and mobilizing APA members to send over 8,000 messages to their Members of Congress opposing the effort. 

APA Services has also called for additional investments in early childhood, K-12, and higher education in fiscal year 2026 through testimony submitted to the House Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee. The testimony also included a request for increased funding for key psychology training programs—the Minority Fellowship Program and the Graduate Psychology Education Program—that aim to both diversify the workforce and expand access to underserved populations. 

Protecting Medicaid Coverage 

Medicaid serves as the single largest payer for behavioral health services in the country, covering approximately 1 in 5 Americans, including low-income children, adults, and people with disabilities. When proposed cuts threatened Medicaid funding that would slash support for these underserved populations, APA mobilized rapidly. We partnered with the Modern Medicaid Alliance on a letter signed by 65 national organizations urging key congressional leaders to carefully consider the important benefits that Medicaid provides to our nation’s most vulnerable children. Additionally, 2,574 members responded to our Action Alert urging legislators not to cut Medicaid, sending 7,795 messages to Members of Congress emphasizing how these cuts would devastate essential behavioral health services for vulnerable populations.

Advancing Integrated Care 

APA continues to champion integrated care models that improve outcomes for all populations. We advocated for the COMPLETE Care Act to improve Medicare reimbursement for behavioral health integration, supporting models proven effective in improving outcomes, particularly for underserved populations. 

Reducing Barriers to Funding for Campus Mental Health

For the third consecutive year, APA Services successfully advocated for the waiver of institutional matching requirements for Minority-Serving Institutions and community colleges applying for the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant. 

While other institutions are required to match a portion of the grant funding with their own contributions, this waiver ensures that MSIs and community colleges are not subject to the same requirement— reducing barriers for under-resourced institutions seeking to improve campus mental health services. APA-drafted language previously adopted by Congress led the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to again implement this crucial waiver.

Addressing the Unique Needs of Vulnerable Populations

APA Services further advocated for health equity by supporting efforts aimed at protecting the mental health of specific targeted groups: 

For immigrant populations, APA Services supported and initiated work in the new Congress on the Immigrants’ Mental Health Act. The bill promotes trauma-informed care and training for border agents to improve mental health access for both border agents and immigrants, addressing the acute needs of vulnerable populations at the border. 

We initiated collaboration with APA member experts to develop evidence-based messaging resources for psychologists to counteract harmful misinformation targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

In February, we led a Hill Day with the American Academy of Pediatrics urging Congress to address chronic underfunding and health disparities impacting Native American youth. In April, APA Services submitted Public Witness Written Testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. The testimony highlighted the importance of funding for Indian Health Services, alcohol and substance use programs, mental health services for Native Americans, and strengthening the Indian Health Professions workforce. 

APA Services also advocated for the mental wellbeing of Black girls, who face unique challenges in receiving appropriate mental health support, often experiencing misdiagnosis, harsher disciplinary approaches, and lack of culturally responsive care. We led the Black Girls Mental Health subcommittee of the Congressional Black Mental Health Braintrust, convening experts and engaging Congressional staff monthly to drive action. These efforts have yielded tangible resources, including an interactive toolkit for practitioners, a youth working group to ensure lived experience informs policy development, and upcoming congressional briefings to educate lawmakers on this critical issue.

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Our Ongoing Commitment 

As psychological science clearly demonstrates, equitable access to resources and opportunities benefits everyone. Looking ahead, APA will continue applying research-informed approaches to address systemic inequities and create a mental health landscape where quality care is truly accessible to all.