| Abstract: | The already frayed mental health and addictions safety net is in danger of collapse as demand for behavioral health services
reaches an all-time high. The backdrop to our field’s everyday struggles is health care reform. The details and implications
of health care reform for the mental health and addictions community remain uncertain. What is certain is that we must build
upon our 2008 legislative successes. While health care reform evolves, the National Council is focused on moving a practical
actionable 2009 agenda that includes single points of accountability for continuity of care for people with serious mental
illnesses and addictions, cost-based-plus financing that supports clinical excellence, a federal mental health funding stream
dedicated to mental health and integrated treatment services for the uninsured, funds to support investments by behavioral
health care organizations in information technology, and support for research-based education and prevention practices. |
