Washington DC Office 307 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202-224-6441 Fax: 202-224-1724 Wyoming Office P.O. Box 22201 Casper, WY 82602 307-261-6413   Issue Statements Sponsored Bills Committee Assignments Senior’s Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2005 Date Introduced: 04/14/05 Bill Number: S.784 Description: As Co-Chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, I am dedicated to strengthening and modernizing our rural health care system. That is why I introduced this measure which would permit mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists to bill Medicare for their services. These providers play an important role in the health care system, especially in rural and under-served areas like Wyoming. Enacting my bill will double the number of mental health providers in Wyoming able to serve seniors. Rural communities often have difficulty recruiting and retaining providers, especially mental health providers. In many small towns across our state, a mental health counselor is the only mental health care provider in the area. My bill will help rural seniors have access to a mental health professional in their own communities. « Back to Sponsored Bills Home | Privacy Policy | Text Only | Contact This Home Page is maintained by the office of Senator Craig Thomas. Please send comments to webmaster@thomas.senate.gov