Nonprofit mental health providers back parity bill

Many national mental health organizations in June gave their support to bipartisan mental health parity legislation in the U.S. Senate, principally sponsored by Senators Pete Domenici (R-N. Mex.), Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), and Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.).  The Senate bill and a House companion bill would require group health insurance plans to cover mental health and substance-related disorders at the same level as other medical disorders. 

The Senate bill is a compromise worked out between mental health advocates, employers and the insurance industry. The Alliance for Children and Families and United Neighborhood Centers of America are supporting both bills and asking their member organizations to sign a letter of support and to urge allied organizations with an interest in mental health parity to join the effort. The Mental Health Liaison Group, a coalition of mental health organizations, is circulating the letter of support.

To request a sign on, email your organization's name, address, phone and email address and the name and email address of a contact person to Dominic Holt at dholt@alliance1.org or dholt@unca.org by Monday, July 16. The letter is open to organizations only, not individuals.