Federal Hill & Policy Update

Week of February 16

Hill & Budget Update

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is entering a partial shutdown after the Senate failed to advance a stopgap funding measure (52–47) and is tied to ongoing disagreements between the White House and congressional Democrats regarding immigration enforcement policies. This is limited to DHS only and likely will last at least a week while lawmakers are not in D.C.

• Takeaway for psychologists: All other federal agencies including those funding major psychology and behavioral health programs remain funded through September 2026, so no immediate impact on core psychology programs is expected.

APA Policy & Advocacy Updates

Health Equity Leadership

• APA Senior Legislative and Regulatory Officer Andrew Strickland began serving on the National Rural Health Association Health Equity Council on January 1 this council focuses on health equity issues facing rural and underserved populations including: LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, multiracial and multicultural rural communities

• The Council’s first meeting (Feb. 3) focused on planning for the NRHA Health Access Conference (May 2026).

CMS Physician Fee Schedule (2027)

• APA Services met with CMS staff to discuss priorities for the 2027 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule, expected in July and a formal APA letter to CMS is forthcoming.

• This matters to psychologists because it influences coverage and reimbursement policies across healthcare and affects all practice settings.

Mental Health Career Promotion Act Reintroduced

• APA-drafted legislation H.R.7394 / S.3783 was reintroduced and this bill would create a grant program for high schools and community colleges to promote careers in mental health, including psychology aiming to strengthen the behavioral health workforce pipeline.