Tell Your Member to Support the Positive Aging Act (S. 525)

The Positive Aging Act is designed to make mental health services for older adults an integral part of primary care services in community settings and to extend them to other settings where older adults reside and receive services. The evidence-based services under this legislation will be provided by interdisciplinary teams of mental health professionals working in collaboration with other providers of health and social services.

Specifically, the Positive Aging Act would provide essential mental health services for older adults by authorizing SAMHSA to:
• Support demonstration projects to integrate mental health services in primary care settings;
• Support grants for community-based mental health treatment outreach teams;
• Designate a Deputy Director for Older Adult Mental Health Services in the Center for Mental Health Services;
• Include representatives of older Americans or their families and geriatric mental health professionals on the Advisory Council for the Center for Mental Health Services;
• Include targeting substance abuse in older adults in projects of national significance; and
• Require state plans under Community Mental Health Services Block Grants to include descriptions of the states’ outreach to and services for older individuals.