On October 31, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Act into law, opening the way for transformative changes in our nation’s approach to mental illness, intellectual disability and substance use disorders. Fifty years later, we still have considerable challenges to ensuring that all persons with mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance use disorders are treated with dignity and respect.
We gathered in Denver on October 23 to watch the live webcast of the Kennedy Forum celebrating the success of the landmark legislation. The Colorado Coalition for Parity joined other communities and organizations from around the country hosting similar celebrations to view the VIP keynote speaker program live from the Kennedy Library in Boston.
Our own local leadership opened the event out at the Anschutz Pavillion. Lisa Clements, Dr. Bob Freedman, Don Mares, Art Schut and Dr. Carl Clark walked the audience through the theme of ‘Uniting the Community, With What We Know Now, to Transform Systems’. It was an engaging and hopeful discussion of the historical spectrum that continues to move towards comprehensive and compassionate care.
In Boston, Patrick Kennedy outlined what is needed to move the issue of Parity forward. According to Patrick “…we need an aligned agenda, ensuring we are organized stakeholders….We need research and a science-based approach, which will lead to a better mix of treatments and supports to help people with mental illness…..and a reimbursement process that funds better services.” He states, “Our challenge now is to bring to scale the best standards of care and the lessons learned so the quality of care is not dependent upon geography.”
In 2008 the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act was signed into law but a final rule on the law has not yet been enacted by the federal government. A final rule is critical to ensure that the Parity Act is fully implemented and enforced so that the millions of Americans in and seeking recovery from mental illness and substance use disorders can access the non-discriminatory care promised under the law.
Yet another Kennedy voice echoes from the past, “The work begins anew, the hope rises again, the dream lives on” Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
The next 50 years- let’s continue to gather again and again- and let’s gather momentum!