Kirsten Beronio

Kirsten has spent her career shaping federal policies aimed at improving access to and quality of mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) services and support. Her experience includes leadership positions at federal agencies, advocacy organizations, and the U.S. Senate.

Most recently, she was the Senior Advisor on MH/SUD for the Center for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Services (CMCS) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In this role, she led policy development and coordination on high profile issues including implementation of Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requirements in Medicaid and CHIP and Medicaid payment and coverage policies for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). She was primarily responsible for numerous official CMS guidance documents for state Medicaid directors on key issues including covering peer support, improving services for individuals experiencing homelessness, and accessing enhanced federal reimbursement for Medicaid information technology.

As a senior advisor at CMS, Kirsten also led development of two Medicaid section 1115 demonstration opportunities, one focused on improving access to a broad array of treatment and support for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and another initiative focused on improving access to a full continuum of care for individuals with substance use disorders. Her other achievements in this role included developing formal legislative proposals to extend Medicaid coverage for pregnant women with SUDs that was included in the FY 2020 President’s Budget and a proposal to expand Medicaid coverage of inpatient treatment for individuals with SMI included in the FY 2021 President’s Budget.

While in a prior position at the Department of Health and Human Services, Kirsten was tapped to lead a new MH/SUD division in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). As the first director of this division, she recruited, hired, and managed a team of policy analysts and engaged outside research firms to investigate a range of strategic policy issues. While at ASPE, she also staffed a White House Interagency Task Force on MH/SUD parity, for which she organized listening sessions with outside stakeholder groups and developed a report to the President on strategies to improve awareness of and compliance with parity requirements. In addition, she was responsible for the economic impact analysis of the MHPAEA final rule for commercial health plans.

Previously, Kirsten was Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs for the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH) where she advised psychiatric health systems and addiction treatment providers on Medicare and Medicaid policy and regulatory changes, quality measures, parity implementation, telehealth, and Covid-19 relief coverage.

In addition, she was Vice President for Federal Policy Development and Advocacy at Mental Health America (MHA) where she developed federal policy priorities for this national mental health organization with over 300 affiliates. At MHA, she also managed a division comprised of senior and mid-level staff.

Kirsten served as Medicaid and CHIP Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee and held other positions in the U.S. Senate in the late 1990s to early 2000s.

She received her law degree from Georgetown University and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University.

Awards:

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Excellence in Mental Health Leadership Award, 2025

For outstanding contributions to advancing mental health policy, expanding access to mental health care, and commitment to transforming the lives of people with mental health conditions and their families

CMS Honor Award, 2024

Behavioral Health Cross-Cutting Initiative Team

For service to improve the lives of people with mental health and substance use disorders enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and Marketplace Coverage

CMS Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight Partnership Award, 2024 Q2

For providing invaluable insight in the development of the MHPAEA final rule

CMS Honor Award, 2023

Behavioral Health Cross-Cutting Initiative

Team award for impactful and coordinated implementation of the Behavioral Health Strategy to enhance access and quality of care across CMS programs

CMS Administrator’s Achievement Award, 2019

Individual award for outstanding efforts to marshal the forces of CMS to address a major public health crisis: Fighting the Opioid Epidemic

CMS Execution of Major Projects Award, 2018

As a member of the Medicaid Section 1115 Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Comprehensive Treatment Demonstrations Team

National Association of County Behavioral Health & Developmental Disability Directors Award, 2018

For outstanding leadership and service to the Nation

HHS Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service, 2014 and 2015

As a member of the cross-Departmental team focused on addressing the opioid crisis