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Back before we headed to the polls, I shared with you an email I received regarding now President-elect Barack Obama’s stance on mental health parity.
Well, now I’ve received an email from Mental Health America urging me to send an electronic postcard to Obama to urge him to keep healthcare reform a top priority during his first year in office.
From the email:
As he prepares to take office, President-elect Barack Obama faces many pressing issues. And some will urge him to defer efforts to achieve healthcare reform, suggesting that it will be too costly, too difficult, or not …read more

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It’s almost time to vote for America’s next leader, and if you’re anything like me…well, you’d be quite pessimistic, jaded, and apathetic. (Well, let me take that back. I’m not really that apathetic. I care quite a bit. I just have a bad feeling about both directions, and rather than stress myself out even more…I’m just going to wait and see what happens.)
However, even if you are feeling like me, you should still vote. Given how important the issue of health care is in all elections, and given a national mental health parity finally passed this …read more

A couple of days ago, I shared some of my very general thoughts about the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, and then pointed you in the direction of the legislation’s actual text.
The more I read about the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (gah, what a mouthful, yes?), the more I discover about the questions, concerns, and fears others have.
Why should I care about this? I don’t even have health insurance.
My company doesn’t have more than 50 people, so what do I have to be excited about?
If …read more

Thanks to Kristina at Autism Vox and one of her incredibly helpful readers, I can now point you in the direction of the text of the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, which is included as Sec. 512 of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (H.R. 1424).
And, because it’s located at THOMAS (The Library of Congress’s site), the links are usually temporary so I’m giving you directions instead:

Visit THOMAS.
Click on Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 : H.R. 1424 at the top of the page. (I don’t know how long this will remain at the …read more

So, by now you’ve undoubtedly heard Congress passed Mental Health Parity. Actually, Congress passed the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, and they did so right along with the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (HR 1424) and a bunch of other stuff, I hear.
There’s some slight controversy surrounding the bill, how it was passed, and the fact that it was passed at all. Around the ‘net I’ve read complaints that the bill isn’t fair, it shouldn’t have been thrown in with the bailout bill, and – my favorite – “Now our premiums are going to …read more

I’ve been fairly stressed out this week.
The state of the American economy, the housing market, health insurance (or lack thereof), my yet-to-be paid off student loans – in other words, money (or again, lack thereof) – all have me freaking out just a bit about my future and my country’s future.
I didn’t used to worry about things like this. Of course, I don’t remember a time in my life when things ever seemed this bad.
Anyone else feeling the stress? Have some suggestions for mellowing out? I’d love to hear them.
In the meantime, let’s check out what’s going on in the …read more

Feel like taking part in a nationwide mental health movement today? Don’t have much time for anything other than a phone call?
Then you’re in luck.
According to Mental Health America, today is National Parity Call-In Day, a day that we’re all urged to call our U.S. Senators and our U.S. Representative and urge them to bring mental health parity to a vote.
With Congress back in session this week and only a short time left, it must pass mental health parity legislation. This is the moment to remind lawmakers that parity legislation is critical, unfinished business.
Never in the almost two-decade fight for …read more

Boy, when I fall into a blogging slump, I really fall into a blogging slump, huh? This is the second week in a row I’ve not offered up more than one post a day here at Mental Health Notes and, honestly, that blows.
However, in my defense (what little bit of defense I have), I have been dealing with work-related matters, surprise visitors, and doing some housekeeping here at MHN, which includes putting an excellent editorial calendar together for the coming weeks here at MHN.
And do I have so great things lined up for y’all!
In the meantime, let’s take a look …read more

What better way to end the work week than congratulating our representatives on phasing out a 50% copay requirement on outpatient mental health treatment for Medicare consumers, and urging them to complete their work on mental health parity legislation, um, now?
None that I can think of, so I’m passing along this Mental Health America Advocacy Alert to help you readers do just that.
Visit Mental Health America’s Take Action Now Web page, choose the Featured Action Alert (”It’s a Matter of Saving Lives, and It’s Long Overdue”), and get to sending those letters.
And don’t forget to stay tuned for tomorrow’s edition …read more

It’s been a fairly slow week here at Mental Health Notes, and I can’t quite put my finger on one particular reason why. We had thunderstorms almost every day this week, and so when I wasn’t working (which kept me fairly busy), I was taking advantage of the writing inspiration (and snooze-inducing effects) thunderstorms always seem to give me.
I also found out early in the week I’m going to have to work extra hard to keep my local NAMI affiliation going, which caused a bit of stress, but I was happy to find I’ll have support.
Oh, and I’ve been re-reading …read more