{OG: Title}

Arlington, VA– The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) will conduct its annual legislative conference February 14 – 16, 1997 at the Arlington Hilton Hotel (950 North Stafford Street, Arlington, VA; 703/528-6000). More than 100 NAMI leaders from throughout the country will attend the meeting to discuss a wide range of policy issues that impact persons with severe mental illnesses and their families.

Conference Highlights

Feb. 14, 11:45 amInsurance Parity for Severe Mental Illnesses in Private Plans:Willis Gradison, Executive Director of Health Insurance Assn. of America

Feb. 14, 12:45 pmExpectations for the 105th Congress:Chris Jennings, Special Assistant to the President for Health Policy Julia James, Staff to Senate Finance Committee

Feb. 14, 2:30 pmNAMI Leaders Meet with Members of Congress (Hill visits)

Feb. 15, 8:30 amManaged Care in the Public Sector for People with Brain Disorders:Bruce Fried, Director, Office of Managed Care, Health Care Financing Administration Jerry Vaccaro, MD, Medical Director of PacifiCare,Karen Silver, Research Associate, Center for Health Policy Research, George Washington University

Feb. 15, 1:30 pm Current Research Issues:Harold Varmus, MD, Director of National Institutes of Health (invited)

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons with severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), major depression, and anxiety disorders. Based in Arlington, Virginia, NAMI’s membership includes more than 140,000 people with brain disorders and their families, and 1,140 state and local affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. NAMI’s efforts focus onsupportto persons with serious brain disorders and to their families;advocacyfor nondiscriminatory and equitable federal and state policies;researchinto the causes, symptoms, and treatments for brain disorders; andeducationto eliminate the pervasive stigma toward severe mental illnesses.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness