The following piece is an excerpt from the April, 1999 (Vol. 5) issue (3) of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) newsletter, Visions. It depicts the status of mental health and substance abuse 'parity' which has been an issue for the last couple years, now. Some states are not even considering legislation for any sort of parity (those, colored in white, below). Some have had some type of parity since 1996. It becomes obvious just how scattered and unequitable things can get when issues which affect millions of clients/patients are left to individual States, as opposed to being Federally legislated (equitable). I, personally, have contacted and urged my members of the Michigan Congress (and Senate) to support Wellstone and Ramstad in our struggle for parity in healthcare for mental health and substance abuse in Michigan. I would urge those social workers from States such as mine to do likewise.
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