Mental health and addiction policy: what next?
The already frayed mental health and addictions safety net is in danger of collapse as demand for behavioral health services reaches an all-time high. The backdrop to our field's everyday struggles is health care reform. The details and implications of health care reform for the mental health and addictions community remain uncertain. What is certain is that we must build upon our 2008 legislative successes. While health care reform evolves, the National Council is focused on moving a practical actionable 2009 agenda that includes single points of accountability for continuity of care for people with serious mental illnesses and addictions, cost-based-plus financing that supports clinical excellence, a federal mental health funding stream dedicated to mental health and integrated treatment services for the uninsured, funds to support investments by behavioral health care organizations in information technology, and support for research-based education and prevention practices.
Rosenberg
Linda
L
National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, Washington, DC, USA. MeenaD@nccbh.org
D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008605:Mental Health Services; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders