West Virginia passed legislation that gives priority to pregnant women seeking substance use treatment. This new law requires substance use treatment providers that accept Medicaid must give pregnant women priority in accessing services and cannot deny services because of the pregnancy, as long as the treatment services are appropriate for pregnant women.
Newsroom
May 16, 2016
Virginia recently created a Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program through House Bill 197. This legislation creates a Mental Health First Aid Program to train individuals on how to identify and help individuals who may have a mental health and/or substance use disorder as well as how to assist those in crisis....
May 16, 2016
Florida Governor Rick Scott recently signed HB 439, Mental Health Services in the Criminal Justice System, into law and will take effect on July 1, 2016. This legislation expanded the role and use of treatment-based mental health and substance use courts by expanding the eligibility criteria for participants to include children in...
May 16, 2016
California addressed the need for police officers to be competent in working with individuals with mental health issues, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders by enacting Senate Bills 11 and...
February 8, 2016
New WIG Chair Kansas State Senator Kay Wolf Announces Criminal Justice Reform as Two-Year Initiative.
November 20, 2015
Women in Government Honors Five Amazing Female Legislators And One Of America’s Female Future Leaders
July 8, 2015
The 22nd Annual Western Regional Conference, attended by 44 legislators from across the region, featured expert speakers from a variety of industries. The conference kicked off with a talk about healthcare plans in Kansas, higher education in the Midwest, an analysis on prescription drug abuse, and the different approaches prescription drug monitoring programs are using to mitigate abuse.
May 29, 2015
The Diabetes & Obesity Summit, which was attended by over thirty female state legislators from across the country, offered a deeper dive into diabetes and obesity policy. Presenters from the American Diabetes Association and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors highlighted the rising costs of diabetes and the important role of state policy for diabetes prevention.
April 9, 2015
On April 1st, Women In Government joined North Carolina legislators in co-hosting a Capitol Forum on the Comprehensive Treatment of Obesity. The event focused on extensive treatments for obesity and included a broad array of stakeholders for expanded coverage.
April 9, 2015
On March 24th, Women In Government participated in a Capitol Forum on the Comprehensive Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension in the state of Washington. The briefing featured Senator Jeannie Darneille, Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles, and Representative Eileen Cody as well as experts in the field.