Menu
Log in
Forgot password

Advocacy Work




ADVOCACY UPDATE
Status of Rates Bills- Make a Call/Send an Email to Support Pay Parity!


What are MFT's advocating for?

PAY PARITY!

Pay parity means that professionals doing similar work should be paid fairly and equally. Unfortunately, marriage and family therapy services are often paid at a lower rate than individual services, even when MFTs are providing more complex services.

This pay disparity not only undervalues our work but also makes it harder for MFTs to thrive in their careers. We’re working to change this by advocating for legislation and policies that ensure MFTs receive fair compensation, recognizing the critical role we play in improving mental health outcomes for individuals, couples, and families.

Which is why we need YOU to speak with your Representatives!




How Do We Get Pay Parity Through Advocacy?

Do you remember the Schoolhouse Rock song about How a Bill Becomes Law? Well, it works this way at the state level, even though the process can be messy and confusing. A bill can be created in the House or Senate and eventually moves through the committee process in either the House or Senate or both. The goal to be signed by the governor and become state law.

MAMFT is working with an advocacy team to lobby for important issues impacting Marriage and Family Therapists in the state of Minnesota. In addition we are members of NAMI's Mental Health Legislative Network, to ensure MFT's voices are included in larger advocacy work.


4 Easy Steps to Support Pay Parity!

STEP 1 | CALL or EMAIL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES

To find who represents you- Click HERE 

EVERY Call and Email helps.

Sample phone script: Hi, my name is __________. I am a Marriage and Family Therapist from ____________ and I am calling/email asking you to support SF1402 and HF1005 in a state budget bill. Funding this bill start to address a huge rate disparity for Marriage and Family Therapy Services. Right now Family Therapy is reimbursed at apx $70 an hour, where Individual Therapy is reimbursed at apx. $130 per hour. These bills would ensure Marriage and Family Therapists are compensated more for their work with couples and families, which increases access to quality mental health services for Minnesota families.

Click HERE to view a sample letter you can send 


Your voice will have the MOST IMPACT if you live or work in areas that are represented by the following individuals:

Priority Reps in the MN House 

Health Finance Committee Members:

Chair: Rep. Backer
Minority Lead: Rep. Bierman
Vice Chair: Rep. Nadeau
Rep. Reyer
Rep. Bahner
Rep. Carroll
Rep. Dippel
Rep. Elkins
Rep. Franson
Rep. Gillman
Rep. Hemmingsen-Jaeger
Rep. Huot
Rep. Keeler
Rep. Knudsen
Rep. Liebling
Rep. Mahamoud
Rep. Perryman
Rep. Pursell
Rep. Repinski
Rep. Schomacker
Rep. Van Binsbergen
Rep. Zeleznikar

Priority Reps in the MN Senate 


Health & Human Services Committee Members:

DFL Co-Chair: Sen. Melissa Wiklund
DFL Vice Chair: Sen. Alice Mann
GOP Co-Chair: Sen. Paul Utke
Sen. Jim Abeler
Sen. Liz Boldon
Sen. John Hoffman
Sen. Robert Kupec
Sen. Bill Lieske
Sen. Lindsey Port

STEP 2 | FOLLOW OUR BILLS

MAMFT members can follow legislation that we are advocating for in state government. While we will do our best to inform you of when MAMFT is testifying in support of legislation, the process sometimes moves quickly with very little notice. 

Our top legislative bills we are testifying in support of, and our legal advocacy firm are following include: SF1402, HF1005. As of 2/26, SF1402 cleared the first major hurdle, when it narrowly passed in the MN Senate Heath and Human Services Committee!

You can sign up for tracking this legislation on the Minnesota State Legislature website at My Bills https://www.leg.mn.gov/mybills/. Create a login easily and track as many bills as you'd like as they move through committees, legislative bodies and are signed by the Governor. This will require you to check it on your own, the application does not send updates when bills move from various points in the process.

STEP 3 | JOIN US FOR KEY EVENTS AT THE CAPITOL

MAMFT will send out notices as we can to encourage our membership to join us in supporting legislation at various points in the process at House and Senate hearings. As the legislative process can move swiftly with very little notice, we will do our best to organize as a group and share with the MAMFT membership when important updates are happening. We are hoping to have membership opportunities for us to band together and show up at key moments in the legislative process.


STEP 4 | SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

The more people who speak out about Pay Parity, the better chance we have at success!



Need Help Getting Connected to Legislators? 

MAMFT has got you covered! Our partners at Momentum Advocacy Team  are happy to help.

Contact Izzy Rojas @ irojas@momentum-advocacy.com and let her know you are an MAMFT member trying to advocate for Pay Parity!

Want More Info?

Watch our advocacy training recording to learn how the process works

Download our Pay Parity Flyer to share with legislators and other people interested in supporting MFTs

View our statement/opposition to SF2589 (AKA "Trump Derangement Syndrome" bill)




Thanks to Everyone who Participated at Mental Health Day on the Hill

On February 20th over 600 people joined NAMI MN at Mental Health Day on the Hill. It was great to see many MFTs at this event. Thank you to all who showed up to speak with their representatives, and are working to advocate for our profession.

We are grateful to our partners at NAMI MN and the Mental Health Legislative Network to ensure people is using their voice to help improve mental health care for EVERYONE!


Minnesota Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

2136 Ford Parkway #8068
Saint Paul, MN 55116

Email: info@mamft.net

Connect on Social

© Minnesota Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Powered by Wild Apricot | Website by Merge Creative

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software