As Congress looks at health care reform, we want to be sure that mental health care is also part of the discussion.
Mental Health America has issued the following:
We urge that the following priority issues be addressed in any health care reform legislation:
1. Ensure Full and Equitable Coverage of Behavioral Health Services by –
Including mental health and substance use treatment as core components of any benefit package offered to uninsured individuals; and
Requiring parity in coverage for these conditions compared to medical and surgical benefits.
2. Support Integration of Behavioral Health and Medical Care, by improving coordination between primary care and behavioral health specialty providers and increasing access to primary care and specialty behavioral health services through –
Incentives for medical home and collaborative care treatment models adapted to address the special needs of this population, for example the Medicaid demonstration program proposed by Senator Debbie Stabenow in the “Mental Illness Chronic Care Improvement Act of 2009” (S. 1136);
Education of primary care providers about prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use conditions; and
Work force development initiatives to increase recruitment and retention of mental health and substance use disorder treatment professionals, especially people of color and those in recovery.
3. Prioritize the Prevention of Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions by –
Covering the following interventions highlighted in a recent Institute of Medicine report for reducing rates of behavioral health conditions:
home visiting by public health nurses for low income first time mothers;
coaching families regarding children’s social/emotional development needs during pediatric care visits;
screening for mental health and substance use in pregnant and perinatal women; and
behavioral health screenings as part of every well-child check-up.
Funding community-based wellness programs focused on mental illness prevention/ mental health promotion including working with schools on mental health literacy and helping them engage in practices that strengthen social/emotional development and foster a positive school climate.
Encouraging implementation of workplace wellness programs including through
tax credits;
educational campaigns on employer-based wellness programs; and
contracts with community-based organizations to provide technical assistance for employers in evaluating and implementing wellness programs.
Establishing a national coordinating body to prioritize prevention of behavioral health disorders across programs overseen by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, and Education.
4. Enhance quality of care by developing and implementing evidence-based therapies that reflect consumer/patient priorities by ensuring that patient/consumer and clinician perspectives are fully represented in all phases of research priority-setting, development, and interpretation, especially regarding comparative effectiveness research (CER) through establishment of —
A patient/consumer advisory board on CER; and
An Office of Patient Values and Inclusion within the Department of Health and Human Services.
Messages for Congress
Include mental health and substance use treatment as core components of any health care benefits package and require parity in coverage of those conditions compared to medical and surgical benefits.
Improve integration of mental health and primary care for both children and adults.
Increase access to prevention services for mental health and substance use conditions, particularly for children and youth.
Improve quality by including patients/consumers in research development and dissemination.
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