51³Ô¹Ï

During its Hill Day 2025, 51³Ô¹Ïenlists Congressional support for breaking barriers to mental health care.

On January 29, 2025, the 51³Ô¹Ï (ACHA) Advocacy Committee wrapped up a highly successful Hill Day, one of the cornerstone events of the association’s advocacy work. This year’s virtual format allowed for even greater participation, bringing together 12 51³Ô¹Ïmembers, 7 board members, and 4 staffers to meet with over 20 Congressional offices—representing both sides of the aisle. Throughout the day, the team engaged in 23 meetings, with 11 House offices and 12 Senate offices, making a powerful case for critical college health initiatives.

The focus of this year’s Hill Day? Ensuring students can access mental health services—no matter where they are. 51³Ô¹Ïemphasized a major barrier students face: many states require mental health providers to be licensed in the same state as the patient, meaning students often lose access to their campus-based care when they travel out of state for breaks, internships, or unexpected campus closures. To combat this, 51³Ô¹Ïproposed legislation that would allow campus health providers to continue serving their students across state lines.

The response from Congress was overwhelmingly positive! Bipartisan support was strong, with multiple offices expressing enthusiasm for working alongside 51³Ô¹Ïto introduce legislation that would make this vision a reality.

51³Ô¹Ïremains committed to leading the charge for healthier, more supportive college communities. If you have questions, feedback, or want to get involved with our advocacy efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out at advocacy@acha.org.