Mental Health Parity

Enacted on October 3, 2008, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Public Law 110-343) is intended to end health insurance benefits’ inequity between mental health/substance use disorders and medical/surgical benefits for group health plans with more than 50 employees. The law is projected to provide parity-protection to 113 million people across the country.  For more information, please visit our parity page.

Health Care Reform

Enacted on March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) (Pub.L. 111-148) is expected to expand health care coverage to an additional 32 million citizens and legal immigrants by 2019 through a combination of state-based private insurance exchanges and a Medicaid expansion.  In addition, the new law includes a number of reforms to curb harmful insurance company practices as well as provisions to slow the growth of health care costs and improve quality of care.  For more information, please visit our health reform resources.

Policy Issues A-Z

Mental Health America has prepared resources on many different policy issues.  If you are looking for information about local, state or federal mental health policy and advocacy topics, please visit our Policy Issues A-Z issues and click on your area of interest.

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Mental Health America's Advocacy Network is a powerful voice for change that is made up of thousands of individuals nationwide who take an active role in protecting America's mental health through legislative advocacy. TAKE ACTION!

Latest Alert: Help Make Parity a Reality: Tell Your Story

Mental Health America's Regional Policy Council (RPC), which is made up of affiliate policy leaders from around the country, strengthens our advocacy work at the state and federal levels on parity implementation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other vital issues.

This year, the RPC is expanding its work monitoring implementation of health reform through four issues forums on the ACA and mental health issues. The inaugural forum was held on March 7 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. To read a summary of the forum and view slides, click here.

For more information and resources on local, state and federal mental health policy and advocacy issues, including webinars and fact sheets, visit the Advocacy page and click on your area of interest.