Advocacy Network

-Make Access to Mental Health Services a Key Part of Reform

Members of Congress are back home for the July 4th recess. Urge them to improve access to mental health and substance abuse treatment and prevention services and increase coordination between these services and primary care as key elements of health care

Health Reform Alert

Congressional leaders and the Obama Administration are committed to acting on a health care reform plan this spring. With legislators making key decisions on what is included in legislation, they need to hear from you.

Help Stop PTSD Suicides

This important letter is from Matt Kuntz, one of our featured speakers at Mental Health America's Centennial Conference (June 10-13, 2009). We first heard about Matt's story last year from then Senator Obama on the campaign trail.

Senate Committee to Act on Health Care Reform TODAY!

Last week the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee released a draft health care reform bill that would expand coverage for the uninsured and establish new programs to improve health care quality.

Harmful Medicaid Regulations Rescinded

This week (June 29, 2009), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rescinded a set of harmful changes to Medicaid that would have significantly reduced funding for case management services, outpatient hospital and clinic services, and school-based administrative and transportation services.These regulations had been issued by the previous Administration but then delayed from going into effect by Congress until July 1, 2009.Read more

Key Opportunity to Influence Parity Regulations

On April 28, 2009 the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury published a Request for Information asking for public comments on a series of questions related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). These comments will be used to inform the three Departments as they develop the MHPAEA regulations. Read more

President Obama Proposes a 2 Percent Increase for Mental Health Services

On Thursday, May 7, President Obama released the details of his budget. Overall, the Administration proposed a $59 million increase (a roughly 2 percent increase)for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration—this was also the increase request (2 percent) for the Centers for Mental Health Services. In particular, the funding proposal for CMHS includes an increase of $17 million for the Children's Mental Health Program (Systems of Care grants) and a nearly$8.5 million increase for the homelessness program. Read more

Sign the pledge today!

Celebrate Our 100 Anniversary By Signing The Pledge

February 19, 2009, marked the centennial celebration of Mental Health America. To celebrate this special occasion, please make a personal pledge for mental health in 2009. Our symbol, The Mental Health Bell, was cast from the chains and shackles once used to restrain those with a mental illness, but today it rings out hope—for progress in the fight for improved care and victory over mental illness. Add your personal pledge for mental health today!

2008 - A Year of Historic Achievements for Mental Health

Mental Health America wants you to know the extraordinary impact Advocacy Network members and others across the country had in pressing Congress to improve people’s access to needed mental health services. Last year's session was momentous and we’re proud of the important, and even historic, legislative gains achieved in 2008. Read the latest edition of the Capitol Hill Update.

President Signs Mental Health Parity Legislation!

Thanks to the thousands of Advocacy Network members who lent tireless support to our years-long effort to win enactment of legislation to end discrimination in mental health coverage. After House passage of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act today, 263-171, President Bush has at last signed mental health/addiction parity into law.

Click here to learn more about the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

About the Advocacy Network

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. Together, we speak out and make our voice heard on equal access to care, federal funding, treatment and prevention. Join our movement by signing up today!