APNA Advocacy

APNA actively supports health care reform. To do so, we work with and through a number of coalitions. Please explore the links below to learn how we are involved.

2024 | 2023 | 2022 |  2021 

Coalitions

• Mental Health Liaison Group
• The Nursing Community Coalition
• Opioid Response Network
• National Quality Forum

Advocacy tools for members, from the APNA Council for Mental Health Advocacy

2024

• 12/9 Signed on to a National Council for Mental Wellbeing letter to congressional leadership supporting the Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act.
• 11/18 Signed on the Nursing Community Coalition letter urging Congress to cosponsor and pass shared legislative priorities impacting nursing education, workforce, and research before the end of the 118th Congress.
• 11/18 Singed on to Nursing Community Coalition letter to Congressional Leadership, as well as to House and Senate Appropriations Committees, requesting funding for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and National Institute of Nursing Research in fiscal year 2025, as outlined in the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee passed bill. The current continuing resolution is set to expire December 20.
• 11/15 Signed on to a Nursing Community Coalition letter urging the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees to consider and advance the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2023 in any legislative package honoring our nation’s veterans this year.
• 11/4 Signed onto a joint letter to chairs and members of the FDA Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee and Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee regarding the clozapine REMS.
• 9/20 Signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter urging the House of Representatives to consider and pass the Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act.
• 9/16 Signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter to Congressional Leadership, as well as to House and Senate Appropriations Committees, requesting funding for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research in fiscal year 2025, as outlined in the Senate Appropriations Committee passed bill.
• 8/16 Signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee on the Proposed NIH Reform Framework, underscoring the important work of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), urging Congress to preserve NINR as an independent institute within NIH.
• 8/13 Signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter urging the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that nurses are among those represented within federal advisory committees, taskforces, and councils.
• 7/29 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee reiterating support for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs the National Institute of Nursing Research in FY 2025, and the need for bold investments after the House Appropriations Committee proposed decreases for these essential programs.
• 6/20 Signed onto a letter to thank the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury for proposing rules last summer that will strengthen the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and urge them to finalize these strong parity rules as soon as possible.
• 5/1 Signed onto a Mental Health Liaison Group letter in support of the Medicaid Bump Act of 2024 which will incentivize states to expand coverage of behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use services.
• 4/22 Signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies outlining the funding requests for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research for Fiscal Year 2025.
• 4/1 Signed onto an American Nurses Association letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) urging them to immediately release their proposed workplace violence prevention standard, to ensure comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs in all settings of care.
• 3/29 Signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter sent to thank the Senate Nursing Caucus Co-Chair and the House Nursing Caucus Vice Co-Chair and nurse, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, for reintroducing the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act to help enhance enrollment and recruitment of nursing students, hire and retain faculty, and support the modernization of nursing education infrastructure.
• 1/9 Signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter to Congressional Leadership, as well as to House and Senate Appropriations Committees, requesting funding for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) in fiscal year (FY) 2024.

2023

• 12/6 Signed onto a letter to House and Senate leadership expressing support for the bipartisan, bicameral DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act. The letter urges passage of this legislation which would enable the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide officers and agents with mental health resources, reduce stigma, and help prevent suicide.
• 11/30 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter welcoming Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli as the 17th Director of the National Institutes of Health and outlining our commitment in elevating nursing research and the work of nurse scientists.
• 11/13 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter to Congressional Leadership, as well as to House and Senate Appropriations Committees outlining updated FY 2024 funding requests including funding for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research.
• 10/31 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter welcoming RDML Jennifer Moon as the new Chief Nurse Officer at the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
• 10/18 Signed onto Mental Health Liaison Group letter to the Senate supporting the Prevention of Adverse Childhood Experiences Act. The PACE Act will support critical efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent and mitigate adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for five years and also support research to improve our understanding of ACEs and inform prevention efforts.
• 10/16 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter to members of the House thanking them for introducing the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act, a bipartisan effort to create parity in federal programs and support those current and future nurses who receive Nurse Corps funding.
• 10/10 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter to Senators Merkley and Lummis thanking them for introducing the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act. This comprehensive effort will ensure patients, including those under Medicare and Medicaid, have access to the high-quality care provided by our nation’s APRNs.
• 9/18 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition statement for the record for the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health hearing on, “VA’s Federal Supremacy Initiative: Putting Veterans First?” The NCC urged support for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists to practice to the full extent of their education and abilities within the VA.
• 7/24 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter thanking Sen. Jeff Merkley and a bipartisan group of 11 cosponsors for introducing the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act.
• 6/28 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter thanking Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Mike Lawler, along with a bipartisan group of 21 original cosponsors, for introducing the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2023
• 6/20 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter thanking House Nursing Caucus Co-Chairs and Vice Co-Chairs for introducing the I CAN Act
• 6/16 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter thanking Representative Courtney and Senator Baldwin for introducing the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act
• 6/12 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter thanking Congress for introducing the National Nursing Workforce Center Act
• 6/6 Signed onto American Association of Nurse Practitioner’s letter to Congress thanking them for support of the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act.
• 5/11 Signed onto National Partnership on Behavioral Health and Tobacco Use call to action letter encouraging states to limit the number of people getting disenrolled from Medicaid and losing access to healthcare, including quit-smoking treatment.
• 5/8 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter urging Congress to take action on top appropriations and legislative priorities that impact nursing education, workforce, and research as we celebrate National Nurses Week 2023.
• 5/4 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter supporting the introduction of the Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act intended to retire outdated barriers in the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) that limit the ability of NPs to provide care and treatment for injured or ill federal employees.
• 3/20 Signed onto Nursing Community Coalition letter to leadership of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee applauding efforts to address health care workforce needs and in appreciation for the opportunity to provide solutions to support current and future nurses.
• 3/9 Signed onto Nursing Communuity Coalition letter to House and Senate leadership supporting the continuation of the impactful actions to patient
  access to care during the Public Health Emergency (PHE) through various waivers and regulatory efforts, including but not limited to telehealth.
• 3/6 Signed onto Nursing Commuinity Coaltion letter to House and Senate leadership of Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies requesting support of fundingfor Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.
• 1/11 Nursing Community Coalition welcome letters to the House and Senate at the start of the 118th Congress outlining our shared priorities of investing in Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs, nursing research, and supporting our current and future nursing workforce.

2022

• 12/21 Signed onto letter of support for enhancing equity in 988 and other crisis services sent to HHS and SAMHSA.
• 12/16 Signed onto letter supporting SAMHSA funding for Providers Clinical Support System Medication Assisted Treatment (PCSS-MAT).
• 12/6 Nursing Community Coalition letters thanking nursing champions in Congress who are retiring or leaving Capitol Hill at the end of this year.
• 12/2 Nursing Community Coalition letter urging Congress to pass top legislative priorities addressing the needs of nursing education, practice, and research before the end of the 117th Congress.
• 11/21 Signed onto a group letter to the US House of Representatives in support of The Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act intended to increase patient access to care by removing outdated and unnecessary federal barriers on services provided by APRNs under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
• 11/18 Nursing Community Coalition letter urging the passage of the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (S.4182) this Congress.
• 11/15 Nursing Community Coalition letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees requesting at least $324.472 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and at least $208.571 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Omnibus.
• 9/26 Signed on to a Nursing Community Coalition letter urging Congress to pass top legislative priorities impacting our current and future nursing workforce before the end of the 117th Congress.
• 9/15 Signed on to a Nursing Community Coalition letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees requesting funds for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce and Development Programs and for the National Institute of Nursing Research.
• 9/14 Signed on to the Mental Health Liaison Group letter to the Senate Finance Committee urging them to advance the bipartisan Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act of 2021 that passed overwhelmingly in the U.S. House of Representatives in July.
• 8/23 Signed on to a Nursing Community Coalition letter urging the retention of Sec. 5103  honoring the contributions the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps made during World War II and recognizing these servicewomen for their dedication to our nation.
• 8/18 Signed on to a letter thanking Representatives Cheney and Dingell for their leadership of the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act of 2021.
• 7/28 Signed on to the Nursing Community Coalition letter supporting legislation that improves access to workers’ compensation for injured Federal workers.
• 7/15 Signed on to the Mental Health Liaison Group letter in support of the RISE from Trauma Act.
• 7/15 Signed on to the Mental Health Liaison Group letter in support of the Suicide Prevention Act.
• 5/6 Signed on to the Nursing Community Coalition letter urging Congress to take action on top legislative priorities that impact nursing education, practice, and research.
• 4/25 Signed on to the Nursing Community Coalition letter supporting the continuation of the actions to support patient access to care during the Public Health Emergency (PHE) through various waivers and regulatory efforts, including telehealth.
• 4/11 Signed on to the Nursing Community Coalition letters to the House and Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies requesting support support of $530 million for the Nursing Workforce Development Programs (Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.]) and $210 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR, National Institutes of Health) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.
• 3/18 Signed on to the Nursing Community Coalition letter welcoming to the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
• 2/18 Signed on to Mental Health Liaison Group letter for the 988 Implementation Act. The letter was sent to the seven original cosponsors’ offices.
• 2/7 Signed on to the Mental Health Liaison Group letter requesting that the House and Senate pass an FY2022 appropriations bill that includes increased funding for mental health and substance use services.
• 2/14 Signed on to the Nursing Community Coalition letters to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees urging them to pass the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2021 this Congress.
• 1/31 Nursing Community Coalition letter of Congratulations to the Administrator of the Health Resources & Services Administration.
• 1/27 Signed on to letters to the House and Senate expressing concern about the recent modifications of the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for clozapine and isotretinoin required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• 1/19 Nursing Community Coalition letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees requesting at least $314.472 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce and Development Programs and at least $200.782 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.

2021

• 12/20 Nursing Community Coalition letter urging Congress to take action to make waivers permanent beyond this Public Health Emergency (PHE).
• 11/19 Nursing Community Coalition letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees requesting at least $314.472 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce and Development Programs and at least $200.782 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.
• 11/18 Signed onto letter to the FDA expressing concerns about the implementation of the New Clozapine REMS (NCR).
• 10/29 Signed onto a nursing group letter to the Senate urging passage of the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act.
• 10/8 Signed onto Mental Health Liaison Group letter to Senators Bennet and Cornyn and letter to Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo urging the extension of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act to Medicare, as well as to traditional Medicaid.
• 9/15 Signed on to letter to the FDA expressing concerns about the new Clozapine REMS and its impact on patient care along with recommendations.
• 9/14 Nursing Community Coalition letter to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee urging them to support and advance United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2021.
• 9/13 Signed on to letter to comment on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule focusing solely on the proposed audio-only modifier.
• 8/12 Nursing Community Coalition letter welcoming Dr. Meena Seshamani, who was recently selected to be the Deputy Administrator and Director of Center for Medicare at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
• 7/26 Nursing Community Coalition letter to Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, who was recently confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use at the Department of Health and Human Services.
• 7/26 Nursing Community Coalition letter to Ms. Dawn O’Connell, who was recently confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at at the Department of Health and Human Services.
• 6/23 Sixty members of the Nursing Community Coalition signed onto written testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, featuring funding requests for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research.
• 6/22 Fifty-two members of the Nursing Community Coalition signed onto a letter to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee urging them to support and advance the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2021 (S.1220/H.R.2568).
• 6/21 Nursing Community Coalition letter to Andrea Palm, who was recently confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
• 6/21 Nursing Community Coalition letter to Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, who was recently confirmed as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
• 5/28 Nursing Community Coalition letters to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), along with the bipartisan group of 40 original cosponsors, thanking them for introducing the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2021 (S.1220/H.R.2568).
• 5/11 Nursing Community Coalition letter to Mr. Martin Walsh, who was recently confirmed as the 29th Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor.
• 5/6 Nursing Community Coalition testimony to House Appropriation Subcommittee in support of funding for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research.
• 3/31 Nursing Community Coalition letter to Congressional Leadership urging for consideration and passage of the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1195).
• 3/25 Nursing Community Coalition letter of congratulations to the recently confirmed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra.
• 3/16 Mental Health Liaison Group letter to House and letter to Senate members thanking them for introducing the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (H.R. 1667). This legislation will reduce and prevent suicide and improve conditions that may cause “burn out” in mental and behavioral health care providers.
• 3/16 Nursing Community Coalition letter to leadership for House and letter to leadership for Senate Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies in support of funding for Nursing Workforce Development programs and National Institute of Nursing Research.
• 3/3 Nursing Community Coalition letter of congratulations to recently confirmed U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis McDonough.
• 3/1 Letter regarding APNA Board of Directors comments on draft of 2021 National Task Force Standards and Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs, 6th Edition.
• 2/22 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry coalition letter to leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of National Drug Control Policy supporting efforts to increase access to buprenorphine and reduce overdose rates including advocating for development of improved training platforms to replace waiver training prior to waiver elimination.
• 1/21 Nursing Community Coalition introductory letter to U.S. Senators and introductory letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives outlining key concerns such as continued investment in the workforce and research.