After over a decade of struggling and aborted attempts, Congress passed a bill yesterday that provides for equal treatment of mental health, alcohol and substance abuse disorders, ending a decades-long practice of discrimination against these concerns by insurance companies and employers.

Although not quite done (funding still needs to be agreed-upon and it still needs the President’s signature), we’re very close to a historic change in the way employers and insurance companies view mental health problems. Forced to put these on equal footing with medical and surgical procedures (because they wouldn’t do it on their own), maybe people will finally get the message — mental disorders are just as real and debilitating as any physical injury, disease, or problem.

Over 110 million Americans will be positively affected by the new legislation, and will enjoy enhanced mental health benefits and access to mental health services.

Read the full article: Congress Passes Historic Mental Health Parity Bill

 


Comments


View Comments / Leave a Comment

This post currently has 0 comments.
You can read the comments or leave your own thoughts.


    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 24 Sep 2008
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Grohol, J. (2008). Congress Passes Historic Mental Health Parity Bill. Psych Central. Retrieved on June 18, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/09/24/congress-passes-historic-mental-health-parity-bill/

 

Recent Comments
  • Hmmm: My father beat the piss outta my sister and I when we were growing up. She became a heroine addict and I became...
  • Elaine's Dad: So, what to do when a 16 yo girl wants to hang out with a 21 yo young man?
  • Pamnola: Alicia, I would like to read your paper. We are about the same age and have probably many shared...
  • Sad: This has happened to me dumped by a friend of twenty years. I desperately want to move on but I can’t...
  • two-z-ornot 2z: I wonder if there have been background studies on children diagnosed with adhd? How many with this...
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter


Find a Therapist


Users Online: 9638
Join Us Now!



 
 
x
Like us on Facebook?

Like or Tweet this: