Coping with Life: Time to take steps to ensure mental health parity

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Time to take steps to ensure mental health parity

The National Eating Disorders Association has issued the following alert:

Call-in day for passing mental health parity is this Wednesday Sept. 10. The NEDA wants people to call their members of Congress.

From the NEDA:

Action: On Wednesday, Sept. 10th, you should call your U.S. Representative and Senators by using the toll-free Parity Hotline: 1-866-parity4 (1-866-727-4894). The Parity Hotline reaches the U.S. Capitol switchboard which can connect callers to the offices of their members.

If you don’t know who your senator is, you can simply tell them your state and they will connect you. For your representatives, go to www.house.gov and then enter your zip code – this will identify who your Representative is.

Targets: All members of the Senate and House.

Message: "I'm calling to ask that the senator/sepresentative urge the congressional leadership to pass mental health and addiction parity legislation this month before Congress adjourns."

Background: The House and Senate committees of jurisdiction reached an agreement on the language of a good parity bill that will be brought to the floor of the House and Senate (H.R. 1424 and S. 558). First, however, they must agree on the source of $3.8 billion in offsets ("pay-fors" over 10 years) required under the Budget Act.

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SUSAN DOWD STONE
Susan has served as president of Postpartum Support International. She is a certified therapist who serves on the national board of the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. She is an adjunct assistant professor in the Silver School of Social Work at NYU, where she teaches cognitive therapies. She also writes for the Empowher blog.

ANDY BEHRMAN
Andy is a mental health writer whose autobiographical book, "Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania," has been translated into six foreign languages. His articles have been featured in The New York Times Magazine, and he was recently featured on CNN's "360" with Anderson Cooper. He currently lives mania-free in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters.

STEVE BERLIN
Steve Berlin has experience as a writer for national publications. He has had lengthy experience in the fire service, and served briefly as a high school teacher. A resident of Arlington, Va., Steve is pursuing a masters degree in public policy.

LAUREN HALE
A mother of three and survivor of Postpartum OCD, Lauren Hale now supports women and families who struggle with perinatal mood disorders. She serves as Georgia's postpartum international support coordinator, moderates message boards at iVillage for new mothers and blogs at Unexpected Blessing. Lauren is also one of the founders of The Postpartum Dads Project.