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Useful
links
Timothy's
Law Campaign
Office
of the Surgeon General
(Contains "Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon
General") Nearly half of all Americans who have a severe
mental illness fail to seek treatment, according to the
first-ever Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health. The
report, commissioned by Health and Human Services Secretary
Donna E. Shalala, also focuses on the connection between
mental health and physical health, barriers to receiving
mental health treatment, and the specific mental health
issues of children, adults and the elderly.
American
Medical Association
This site provides links to a number of publications in
pdf format that demonstrate the need for health insurance
reform and explain the AMA position. Includes the November
2002 report Expanding Health Insurance: The AMA Proposal
for Reform.
American Psychiatric Association
(APA)
Includes recommendations for mental health insurance reform,
advocacy opportunities, and educational materials for mental
health consumers. In addition, the APA sponsors the National
Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, a project that
cites the most current information regarding employer-based
mental health benefits and best practices in workplace mental
health management.
The
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a legal
advocacy organization working toward increasing access to
Medicaid and private insurance coverage of mental health
care, enforcing fair housing laws and creating systems of
care for children at risk of institutional or foster placement.
Provides news and analysis of federal laws, regulations,
legislative proposals and court decisions in each area.
Includes detailed and current analysis on public health
policy and managed care.
The
Center for Mental Health Services
A division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
this site provides access to numerous federal reports, acts,
summaries, press releases and FAQ sheets related to mental
health insurance parity.
The
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI supports full parity in both private (individual and
employer-based) and public (Medicare, Medicaid, and other
government-sponsored) insurance coverage for mental illnesses.
Central to an understanding that mental illnesses are both
"blameless" and treatable is non-discriminatory
coverage for the necessary medical care for these illnesses.
The discrimination in access to care is evidenced by limited
coverage, punitive co-pays and restricted access to hospitalization
during acute episodes and what one would logically conclude
would occur for other untreated or under-treated serious
illnesses. That is to say: the outcome for people with untreated
or under-treated illnesses are disastrous and too frequently
results in death or permanent disability.
The
National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
This is a rich resource for a wide range of materials on
state and federal parity legislation.
The New York State Psychiatric
Association (NYSPA)
An affiliate of the American Psychiatric Association,
NYSPA's goal is to promote quality mental health care in
New York State.
Mental
Health Liaison Group
Links to issue statements, letters, assessments, and acts
regarding mental health insurance parity and a variety of
fact sheets from the Coalition for Fairness in Mental Illness
Coverage.
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