d

June 20, 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 swift Senate passage of S 558, 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 would like to urge you and your Senate colleagues quickly to pass S 558 and oppose any amendments that would weaken protections for individuals living with mental illness. 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
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
American Council of the Blind
American Dance Therapy Association
American Foundation for the Blind
American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association
American Network of Community Options and Resources
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
Association of University Centers ion Disabilities
Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions
Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
Council for Exceptional Children
Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
Easter Seals
Epilepsy Foundation
Helen Keller National Center
Lutheran Services in America
Mental Health America
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
National Association of Disability Representatives
National Association of School Psychologists
National Association of Social Workers
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
National Association of State Head Injury Administrators
National Center for Learning Disabilities
National Coalition on Deaf-Blindness
National Disability Rights Network
National Down Syndrome Congress
National Down Syndrome Society
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Respite Coalition
NISH
Paralyzed Veterans of America
TASH
The Arc of the United States
Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc.
United Cerebral Palsy
United Spinal Association
World Institute on Disability