Whole Health Campaign

Putting mental health and substance use care on national agenda

Mental health and substance use issues are gaining greater attention on the national stage thanks to the efforts of the Whole Health Campaign (WHC).

Mental Health America is a founding member of WHC, a unique effort of more than 70 national organizations working together to ensure mental health and substance use issues are a policy priority for presidential candidates and their respective political parties. This campaign represents the first time organizations representing these fields have come together to influence the political candidates and political process in this way.

The campaign is calling on candidates and their parties to adopt three principles:

• Parity insurance coverage for mental and substance use conditions;

• Good integrated care across mental health, substance use and primary care servies; and

• Research to develop better prevention and early intervention strategies.

To advance these principles, WHC worked to incorporate them in the platforms of the Democratic and Republican parties. In July, Mental Health America hosted a WHC platform meeting as part of the Democratic National Committee platform development process. Testimony from the meeting and recommendations for action were then submitted to the Democratic platform committee. WHC also submitted materials through the Republican National Committee platform online process.

Significantly, the Democratic Party’s platform includes these principles and recognizes the importance of prevention and wellness within the health care system. The Republican platform states that it is important for mental health care to be treated equally with physical health care.

WHC also developed an online petition calling on the political parties to include mental health and substance use issues in health care policy reform. More than 8,100 signatures were collected, including nearly a third from members of Mental Health America’s Advocacy Network.

Building on the energy and grassroots support the coalition has generated, the campaign is now developing a national strategy for mental health and substance use care for the next president and new Congress. You can learn more about the campaign at www.wholehealthcampaign.org.

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