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Ensure That Children With Mental Illness Are Protected In The Senate Healthcare Reform Bill

October 19, 2009

On October 13, the Senate Finance Committee passed its healthcare reform bill in a 14 to 9 vote. However, before the bill goes to the floor, the Finance bill and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee bill, which was passed earlier this summer, must be merged. Once the two bills are merged, the full Senate will debate the bill and vote. It's possible that Senate floor action will begin within a week.

NAMI is working with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF), Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), Mental Health America (MHA), and the Autism Society in asking members and friends to call their Senators to ask them to help ensure that five key principles are included in the final Senate bill that goes to the Senate floor. 

Act Now!

Please contact your Senator today and ask your Senator to contact Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), and HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and ask them to include the following five key principles in the final Senate healthcare reform bill:

1. Affordable healthcare coverage for all children, youth and young adults up to age 26, that covers prevention, early identificationand intervention with effective treatment, services and for mental and substance use disorders.

2. Health plans that do not impose restrictions on pre-existing conditions, do not terminate coverage when individuals are sick, and that require parity for mental health assessment and treatment with general health care.

3. A healthcare system that requires plans to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to address racial and ethical disparities, as well as disability-based health disparities.

4. Incentives for the integration and coordination of primary care with specialty mental health services.

5. Incentives to produce a competent and accessible mental health workforce, prioritizing the need to address child mental health workforce shortages.

Email your Senator using NAMI’s Legislative Action Center or contact your Senator by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Learn More

Read NAMI's overall principles for health reform.

View additional information on health reform on the NAMI Web site, including comments submitted on the separate House and Senate bills, as well as letters of support from NAMI on the House "Tri-Committee" bill and the Senate HELP Committee bill.

 

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