This morning, Congressman Patrick Kennedy blogged on The Huffington Post and argued for greater integration of mental health services in the health care reform discussions.
Last year, a bill I introduced called the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act became law. On that day, a monumental victory was achieved for the over 25% of Americans who no longer have to face discrimination from their insurers when it comes to their mental health care. That day was a victory for Americans everywhere, as a civil rights gap was closed in this country, and a long standing form of discrimination was ended. I am proud to say that this victory was expounded upon in the health care reform bill currently before the House of Representatives. It is clear that the 113 million Americans with mental illnesses whose coverage was improved by mental health parity were heard loud and clear with the passage of mental health parity — discrimination will no longer be tolerated, and our minds can no longer be treated as separate from our bodies.
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