The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse Supports The Mental Health Parity Act
Calls on the Georgia General Assembly to Support the
Georgia Recovery Community and Pass as Introduced
The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse fully supports The Mental Health Parity Act in the strongest possible terms as introduced by Speaker David Ralston. The Mental Health Parity Act is historic and transformational. The Mental Health Parity Act will save lives, support families, strengthen communities, support first responders, and save tax-payer dollars.
Parity is the single most important policy issue for the Georgia Recovery Community. It is essential that Georgia enforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Georgians have significantly more difficulty accessing behavioral health treatment – treatment for mental illnesses and substance use disorders – than accessing other medical care.
The Mental Health Parity Act supports the Georgia Recovery Community. Addiction is the epidemic within the COVID-19 pandemic. Addiction is real with over 1.5 million Georgian’s in active addiction. Recovery is real. There are over 800,000 people in recovery from substance use disorders across Georgia. When the General Assembly supports recovery, communities are safer, families stay together, the workforce is stronger, and we save tax-payer dollars.
“The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse fully supports The Mental Health Parity Act in the strongest possible terms as introduced by Speaker David Ralston. Parity is the single most important policy issue for the Georgia Recovery Community. The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse encourages the General Assembly to embrace The Mental Health Parity Act as introduced and pass it with alacrity,” said Neil Campbell, Executive Director, Georgia Council on Substance Abuse.
“I extend my personal thanks to Speaker Ralston and the bi-partisan leadership of the House of Representatives as well as Chairman Kevin Tanner and the members of the Georgia Behavioral Health Commission for including the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse in the process to ensure that this legislation is peer positive. I also thank Governor Brian Kemp for his public statement of support and Commissioner John King for his strong support and his working with the Georgia Council on Substance on this legislation,” said Campbell.
“The Mental Health Parity Act will save lives providing support and hope for Georgia families. The Mental Health Parity Act is the most important legislation ever introduced in the General Assembly in support of the Georgia Recovery Community. It is vital it pass both the House and Senate as introduced without amendment,” said Jeff Breedlove, Chief of Policy Georgia Council on Substance Abuse.
“Let me provide clarity, the version of The Mental Health Parity Act which has been introduced by Speaker Ralston is the compromise bill. Speaker Ralston and Chairman Kevin Tanner have included the Georgia Mental Health Policy partnership in this process. Every. Step. Of. The. Way. This language is supported by millions of Georgians who are involved and active in supporting peer led support for mental health and addiction policy and reform,” said Breedlove.
“The Mental Health Parity Act is a historic bill. The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse joins our partners in the Georgia Mental Health Policy partnership in calling on both the House and Senate to pass The Mental Health Parity Act as introduced with zero changes. The families of Georgia who have been impacted by addiction and mental illness are active, organized, and expect your full support for The Mental Health Parity Act,” said Campbell.
“The time for excuses and politics is over. There is no excuse for the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 to not be fully enforced in Georgia. There is no provision in state law which allows the state to not fully enforce federal law – now is time for the General Assembly to say no to the Special Interest lobbyists in the Georgia Insurance Community and stand with Georgia families. Enforce the 2008 Federal Parity law and save lives, support families, strengthen communities, support first responders, and save tax-payer dollars by passing The Mental Health Parity Act as introduced,” said Breedlove.
· The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse is Georgia’s exclusive statewide Recovery Community Organization representing the voice of the Georgia Recovery Community as we work to break the stigma surrounding recovery from addiction and towards policies and legislation which save lives while making behavioral health care available to all Georgians. #GARecovers
