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February 13, 2007

The Honorable Pete Domenici
The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy
The Honorable Mike Enzi
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senators Domenici, Kennedy and Enzi:

On behalf of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), we are writing to offer our strong support for the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007. CCD is the largest coalition of national organizations representing people with disabilities, their families, caregivers and advocates. Among CCD’s members are organizations representing the broad range of disabilities including physical disabilities, sensory impairments, intellectual disabilities and mental health disorders.

CCD is pleased to offer our support for this important legislation to require employers and health plans to cover treatment for mental health conditions on the same terms and conditions as all other illnesses. It is critical that protections be put in place to ensure that treatment limits on inpatient days and outpatient visits are the same for both mental health and medical-surgical coverage. Further, it is vital that financial limitations (including cost sharing and deductibles) for mental and physical health be equalized.

While this legislation is obviously critical for individuals living with mental illness, it is also extremely important for individuals with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities. As you know, mental health disorders are too often a co-morbid condition for people living with a spinal cord injury, blindness, deafness, neurological conditions and other limitations that are represented within the broad diversity of the disability community. This legislation will help ensure that treatment for these co-occurring mental health disorders is equitable.

CCD is especially pleased that you and your colleagues in the Senate will be quickly moving the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 forward in the 110th Congress. This legislation is long overdue. The disability community is pleased to offer our support for this important measure. If you have any questions, please contact Andrew Sperling, National Alliance on Mental Illness (Andrew@nami.org)

Sincerely,

ACCESS-DSPA Alliance
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
American Academy of Neurology
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association on Health and Disability
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
American Council of the Blind
American Dance Therapy Association
American Music Therapy Association
American Network of Community Options and Resources
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
Council for Exceptional Children
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
Easter Seals
Epilepsy Foundation
Goodwill Industries International, Inc.
Lutheran Services in America
Mental Health America
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
National Association of State Head Injury Administrators
National Association of School Psychologists
National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.
National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
National Disability Rights Network
NISH
National Rehabilitation Association
The Advocacy Institute
The Arc of the United States
Title II Community AIDS National Network
Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc.
United Cerebral Palsy
United Spinal Association