Advocacy Process Through the Lens of Continuation of Care

In this Policy Corner article, we will be sharing about the member-inspired College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act and recapping the ACHA’s Advocacy Committee’s session at the ACHA 2026 Annual Meeting last month.

A big theme for both the bill and the session is member input. The College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act (HR 5357) started as an issue brought to the attention of ACHA’s advocacy team by ACHA members. When asked which issues they would like to see addressed, ACHA members shared about the limitation in providing care to a transient student body that is often not on campus and out of state. State licensure requirements require the practitioner to be licensed in the state where the student is located. While efforts are being made through state compacts to change that, those efforts are slow and piecemeal. To have effective change so that a student can continue to receive care from campus health and well-being services, regardless of what state they are in, requires federal intervention.

The issue of continuation of care across state lines was then raised with the ACHA Board, which reached out for input from various member groups, and, from that, an ACHA position statement was issued. The statement, in effect, called for colleges’ health and well-being practitioners to be able to continue to assist their students when those students are in another state. The Board also added the issue to the ACHA Federal Policy Priority Agenda.

The ACHA Board elevated the issue, on the recommendation of the ACHA Advocacy Committee, to the top of ACHA’s Policy Priorities Agenda in 2025, following the successful effort to secure congressional support for the development of a College Health Index. During ACHA’s Advocacy Committee’s Congressional Hill Day in January of 2025, ACHA members met directly with Congressional offices to discuss the state of college health and well-being, including the challenges students face when access to care is interrupted because they cross state lines. Those conversations helped generate Congressional interest in developing a legislative solution. Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE), one of the offices met with during Hill day, asked ACHA to further vet the policy with ACHA member groups and external stakeholders. Internal ACHA member groups provided valuable expertise, while external partners offered feedback on how the proposal would interact with existing licensure frameworks and telehealth policies. During the vetting process, ACHA found no red flag options from stakeholders and was able to provide suggestions on how Rep. Flood could improve legislation. In September 2025, Rep. Flood introduced the College Students Continuation of Mental Health Care Act (H.R. 5357) with Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Rep. Zachary Nunn (R-IA) as original cosponsors.

Since its introduction, ACHA’s government affairs team has continued meeting with congressional offices and committee staff to build support for the measure and secure additional cosponsors. So far, the legislation has garnered a total of 17 cosponsors from both political parties, demonstrating that there is bipartisan support for this issue. The bill currently awaits further consideration in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. ACHA remains committed to advancing the legislation and educating policymakers about the importance of uninterrupted mental health care for college students.

Overall, the continuation of care process highlights how ACHA engages with advocacy. First, our members, partners, or affiliates highlight an issue to ACHA leadership’s attention, thereby prompting the ACHA Chief Executive Officer to evaluate potential actions to take based on established guidance from the ACHA Policy Platform and Priorities Agenda. The Advocacy Committee then contributes by providing expertise and connecting with subject matter experts and government affairs resources to guide actions. From there, the issue is elevated to the ACHA Executive Committee and Board of Directors, who determine and approve the appropriate course of action for further engagement.

Last month’s Annual Meeting provided a forum for the Advocacy Committee to highlight ACHA’s advocacy process while also providing the opportunity to provide an update on HR 5357’s progress.  The Advocacy Session allowed members to share valuable perspectives on coalition building, legislative strategy, and outreach efforts that can help strengthen support for the bill moving forward. The discussion reinforced the importance of member participation in identifying emerging issues and advancing solutions that improve the health and well-being of college students nationwide. Looking ahead, member engagement will continue to play an important role in advancing the legislation, as ACHA may call on members in key congressional districts to contact their representatives and encourage support for this legislation.

Through this collaborative process, ACHA continues to advance policies that promote healthier, more supportive college communities. Members play a vital role in shaping these efforts, and ACHA encourages anyone with policy priorities, advocacy interests, or related questions and concerns to share their perspectives by contacting advocacy@acha.org.