Dear Friend,

Mental Health America wants you to know the extraordinary impact Advocacy Network members and others across the country have had in pressing Congress to improve people’s access to needed mental health services. As Congress moves toward the end of a momentous session, we’re proud of the important, and even historic, legislative gains achieved this year.

Mental Health Parity Becomes Law

Mental health advocates can mark 2008 as a year in which they helped win passage of a landmark law to bring mental health parity protection to more than 100 million Americans covered by group health insurance. Passage of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act owes much to a relentless battle we’ve waged together to educate lawmakers, win their support for comprehensive parity legislation, and persuade them to make parity’s enactment a vital priority. 

We successfully ended that years-long fight this month on the heels of another critical victory toward ending all discrimination against people with mental health needs legislation that will phase out the inequitable 50 percent co-pay requirement on outpatient mental health care under the Medicare program. These longstanding discriminatory practices have helped keep stigma alive. With each legislative victory over discrimination we come closer to the day that all people view mental health conditions as no different than any other health condition.

Budget Cuts Defeated

The determined advocacy efforts that won these large victories also helped block several harmful Administration proposals that threatened to set back earlier gains. Grassroots’ voices were critical in moving Congress to block implementation of several major Medicaid cuts, including sweeping changes that would have dramatically limited reimbursement for rehabilitative, case management, and school-based administrative services. Similarly thousands responded to our messages urging individuals to press Congress to reject Administration-proposed budget cuts that would have very substantially reduced funding supporting mental health needs under numerous federal programs. Our combined efforts led Congress to reject those destructive cuts. 

Looking Ahead

There’s more work to be done. And we look forward to working with a new Administration and a new Congress to advance a critically important mental-health agenda. We hope you’ll renew your commitment and join us in pressing the fight when we call on you again. Together we can continue to make history.

Please be sure to cast your vote Tuesday, November 4, for the candidates who will make mental health a priority. Check out the Advocacy Network's election resources for ways you can get involved in this year's elections.