Federal Advocacy

As a nonprofit trade association representing 300+ diverse organizations from across the nation, it is our mission to support our members by cultivating, sharing, and advocating for provider best practices in autism services. 

On the federal level, CASP has retained an experienced bi-partisan lobbying team that is on the ground in Washington, D.C.

Our federal priorities include:

  • The recognition and adoption of our clinical practice guidelines as generally accepted standards of care by TRICARE, the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
  • The recognition and adoption of the Autism Commission on Quality’s accreditation by CMS and DOL.
  • The inclusion of autism service providers in relevant legislation and regulation.

Federal Advocacy Updates

Behavioral Health Information Technology Coordination Act (BHITCA)

The CASP lobbying team is advocating for the inclusion of behavior analysts in the Behavioral Health Information Technology Coordination Act and recently met with bill sponsors, Congresswoman Doris Matsui and Senator Markwayne Mullen. This would be the first mention of behavior analysts in federal statute if included. Read our BHITCA one-pager here. 

National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (NASEM) Independent Analysis of the Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration Program

We are collaborating with advocacy organizations engaged in the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (NASEM) study of the TRICARE Autism Care Demonstration, including representatives from Autism Speaks and Mission Alpha Advocacy. The NASEM Committee next meets on January 12, 2024, and several members of the CASP Community are invited speakers. You can find the agenda and registration link here.

Mental Health Parity

CASP recently submitted public comment for the Proposed Rule: Requirements Related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which the Employee Benefits Security Administration posted in August 2023. 

  • The Proposed Rule sets forth amendments to regulations implementing the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) and proposes new regulations implementing the nonquantitative treatment limitation (NQTL) comparative analyses requirements under MHPAEA, as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA, 2021).
  • Specifically, these proposed rules would amend the existing NQTL standard to prevent plans and issuers from using NQTLs to place greater limits on access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits as compared to medical/surgical benefits.
  • Read CASP's public comments here.