SDBP was a sponsoring organization for Lobby Day at the United States Capitol in Washington DC on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, that advocated for the passage of the HEADs UP Act  - Healthcare Extension and Accessibility for Developmentally disabled and Underserved Population Act of 2023.  Click here for flyer

The HEADs UP Act, introduced by Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and signed on by 22 co-sponsors will officially designate individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs) as a medically underserved population (MUP). This will open access to medically necessary needed primary care and specialist services, incentivizing new research, and authorizing more favorable reimbursement rates for providers who treat this population.   Heads Up FAQs

President, Adiaha Spinks-Franklin, Immediate Past President Tanya Froehlich, President-Elect Bill Barbaresi, Board Member Jason Fogler, and Advocacy Committee Co-Chairs Jennifer Cervantes and Hannah Perrin have been meeting monthly with the Law Parents of Children with Disabilities, and members from Achieva who organized this Lobby Day. It is exciting to be part of this historic legislative advocacy opportunity.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: please contact your Representative and your Senators to ask them to support this very important legislation. See below specific information...

The HEADs Up Act is a bi-partisan bill re-introduced in the 118th Congress on May 16, 2023. This bill was previously introduced in the 117th Congress, but did not move out of the subcommittee. The bill is currently in the Subcommittee on Health for review and our hope is that with your support and advocacy efforts, this bill will move to the next phase of the legislative process.

What would the HEADs UP Act provide?

  • Would designate people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) as a “Medically Underserved Population,” which would increase access for individuals with I/DD to more than 25 federal programs and agencies.
  • Would increase access to loan repayment and training programs for providers who work with individuals with I/DD.
  • Would provide incentives for physicians to treat this population by increasing reimbursement rates for services delivered.
  • Would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to health centers that provide services for individuals with I/DD.
  • Would potentially increase research due to preference given to federal research studying medically underserved populations.

Heads up Population and Cost Analysis document

WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

  • Ask your Congressional Representative to co-sponsor the HEADs UP Act (HR 3380).
  • Ask your Senators to introduce a HEADs UP Act companion bill in the US Senate
  • Ask your Governor to request a Governor’s Exceptional Medically Underserved Population designation in your state from Health and Human Services (HHS).
  • Write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper sharing your experiences with healthcare barriers and how they affect you.

If you do not know who your reps are, FIND YOUR REP HERE!

In-person visits:

  • Call your representatives and ask to schedule an in-person visit.
  • Plan to stay through 4pm on Monday, September 16th to join SDBP on Capitol Hill at the 2024 Fall annual meeting.

Tips for calling:

  • Introduce yourself as a constituent
  • Briefly discuss the problem and utilize personal examples and stories if applicable.
  • Offer a solution
  • Ask for action (ex: I strongly encourage you to support/co-sponsor the HEADs UP Act)

Ways to e-mail:

  • CLICK HERE to send an e-mail to your representatives in under 2 minutes from the Autism Speaks website.
  • CLICK HERE for a sample e-mail template you can easily modify if you prefer to contact your representative directly via e-mail.

Tweet about it:

  • Locate your representative’s Twitter handle by visiting this link below and schedule 5 minutes a day to send a tweet.

https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/members-official-twitter-handles

You can copy and paste the Tweets below!

  • First Tweet: Support the #HEADsUP Act that helps to increase access to behavioral, medical and dental care for people with I/DD, including those with #autism. @(enter your representative’s Twitter handle here), please cosponsor this bill!
  • Second Tweet: The #HEADsUP Act supports professionals interested in and currently collaborating with individuals with I/DD and their families on their behavioral, medical, and dental care, including those with #autism. @(enter your representative’s Twitter handle here), please cosponsor this bill!
  • Third Tweet: The #HEADsuP Act would increase access to behavioral, medical, and dental care for children with I/DD, including children with #autism, who often wait extended periods of time for necessary medically necessary mental and healthcare services. @(enter your representative’s Twitter handle here), please cosponsor this bill!