House Proposals Would Fail Families Seeking Mental Health
Services
Mental Health Advocate Blasts Consideration of Non-Medicaid
Bill
The following comments are a prepared statement by Laurel Stine,
Director of Federal Relations for the Bazelon Center for Mental Health
Law, on ensuring
access to comprehensive mental health services for children:
Too many families across the country lack adequate insurance to cover
much-needed mental health services for their child. Private insurance
coverage often fails families, leaving public systems to pick up the
slack.
But many families face a difficult choice if they wish to become eligible
for Medicaid's services: relinquish custody of their child to the state
or turn down hard-earned promotions and pay increases, effectively spending
down to remain eligible for Medicaid coverage. That's a terrible choice
that no parent should have to make. By expanding access to the comprehensive
mental health services available under Medicaid, the Family Opportunity
Act could reduce the need for such choices.
Families who are struggling to meet the needs of their child with mental
illness were hopeful when, earlier this year, the Senate Finance Committee
passed the legislation. That action cleared the way for consideration
by the full Senate, where the Family Opportunity Act enjoys wide bipartisan
support.
Now tension between the House and Senate may derail the bill. House
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) has been a
supporter of the Family Opportunity Act and the expanded coverage for
mental health services that it would provide.
But the legislation has stalled in the House and the committee is said
to be considering watering down the bill's Medicaid provisions. The options
being circulated would provide little relief for families struggling
to help a child with mental illness.
We fear that this is simply a political maneuver to use the bill as
a springboard for dismantling Medicaid. Only Medicaid can guarantee coverage
of the comprehensive services necessary to help these families.
Congress can make a difference for families struggling to get mental
health services for their children. Unfortunately, it looks like political
gamesmanship and the all-too-familiar Washington paper shuffle may just
kill this historic opportunity to provide the relief many American families
desperately need.
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Media Contact: Christopher Burley 202-467-5730 x 133 or leec@bazelon.org
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is the nation’s leading
legal advocate for people with mental disabilities. Since its founding
in 1972, the nonprofit organization’s precedent-setting litigation
and public-policy advocacy has successfully challenged many barriers
and expanded access to public schools, workplaces, housing and many other
opportunities for community life.
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