Boosting Mental Health Access: Arkansas’ Latest Laws
TL/DR –
Several new laws are set to take effect in Arkansas on January 1, 2024, primarily focusing on expanding mental health care access. One of these laws, Act 316, will require doctors to screen new mothers for depression and mandates insurance companies to cover the cost. Another law, Act 537, makes mental health care more accessible by requiring public employers to cover counseling resources for public safety employees after a traumatic event on duty.
New Healthcare Laws in Arkansas Effective from 2024
From Jan. 1, 2024, Arkansas will implement new laws aimed at enhancing mental healthcare accessibility for its residents.
These laws are set to improve healthcare coverage for Arkansas’ population, with specific attention to mental health provisions for new moms and public safety personnel.
Act 316 is one of these laws, mandating doctors to screen new mothers for depression and requiring insurance companies to cover the cost. Licensed therapist and new mom, Natasha Thorne emphasized the significance of postpartum mental health care for mothers.
She explained, “Screening is your first line of defense… Some moms may not even recognize it as such… that, ‘Oh, what I’m going through is depression.'”
Another pivotal law, Act 537, necessitates public employers to provide counseling resources for public safety employees after traumatic events at their job. These resources extend to first responders such as Battalion Chief Jeff Bennett from the North Little Rock Fire Department. He shared that “Mental health is something that takes its toll on you. No matter how strong you are, it can take its toll on you.”
This law aims at supporting not only firefighters but also other public safety officials like police, probation, surveillance, and juvenile detention officers who often encounter stressful situations in their line of work.
Moreover, a new healthcare law will broaden coverage for ambulance rides, mandating healthcare providers to cover trips coordinated via telemedicine with a doctor or a behavioral specialist after a complaint.
For a full list of the new laws taking effect in 2024, click here.
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