SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY is a three-year campaign that will unite local and national advocates in 10 states to pursue full enforcement of the Parity Act. We will establish effective models for robust enforcement of the Parity Act in 10 states and disseminate those models across the country.

Launched in November 2017, the first year of the Campaign is focused on five states: Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. With technical support from national experts, an anchor organization in each state will lead state reform efforts with local advocates. An additional five states will be added in the second year.

Our work in each state will be broad, ranging from researching the current treatment and policy landscape to conducting extensive public and provider education about the Parity Act, to working with legislators, regulators and attorneys general to develop more effective compliance and enforcement frameworks.

The Campaign will benefit millions of people living in those states and will also establish models that can be adopted by other states.

The campaign is spearheaded by five of the nation’s leading advocacy organizations for effective enforcement of the Parity Act. A brief introduction to each National Partner and their planned project tasks follows:

Established in 1973, the Legal Action Center is the only nonprofit law and policy organization in the United States whose sole mission is to fight discrimination against people with histories of addiction, HIV/AIDS, or criminal records, and to advocate for sound public policies in these areas. LAC serves as the director of the SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY campaign, and as such, oversees all project-related activities.

Additionally, LAC will support:

• Landscape research and standard analysis
• State campaign strategy and development
• State campaign implementation – regulatory and legislative advocacy

Center on Addiction is a science-based, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 1992 by former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Joseph A. Califano, Jr. The Center on Addiction’s purpose is to find, promote and enact the necessary solutions to end America’s deadly addiction crisis.

Center on Addiction will primarily support:

• Landscape research and standard analysis
• State campaign strategy development
• State campaign implementation

Founded in 2013 by former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.), The Kennedy Forum focuses on advancing evidence-based practices, policies, and programming in mental health and substance use issues. This is achieved through promoting public discourse in health and addiction issues, ensuring equal coverage for patients living with mental health and/or substance use disorders, and advancing prevention and treatment throughout the entire continuum of the health care delivery system.

The Kennedy Forum will primarily support:

• Landscape research and standard analysis
• Regulatory and legislative advocacy
• Attorney general engagement
• Engagement with carriers and Medicaid Managed Care Organizations

Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices and evidence-based guidelines to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC’s Research & Evaluation Group’s behavioral health portfolio is housed within the Treatment Research Institute Center on Addictions Research, which works to improve behavioral health and treatment services and policies through applied, science-driven solutions.

PHMC will primarily support:

• Project coordination, including state campaign strategy and work plan development
• The development of outcome metrics to track campaign progress over time
• Development and administration of a provider parity knowledge survey, the results of which will be used to inform targeted provider education materials and dissemination strategies

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids is a national nonprofit that is committed to helping families struggling with their child’s substance use. They empower families with information, support and guidance to get the help their loved one needs and deserves. They build healthy communities, advocating for greater understanding and more effective programs to treat the disease of addiction.

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids will primarily support:

• Consumer and family member education
• Communications efforts, including the development and dissemination of consumer/family member education materials
• Outcome measure development and performance metrics tracking – consumers/family member

 ILLINOIS

The leads the SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY Campaign in Illinois. IABH works on behalf of sixty community-based substance use and mental health disorder prevention, treatment and recovery support service providers statewide. Together with , they lead a coalition of nearly two dozen partners advocating for state legislation to improve parity enforcement.

 MARYLAND

The leads the SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY Campaign in Maryland. Alongside SUD and MH advocates in Maryland, LAC has worked to secure legislation improving enforcement and coverage in both the private and public markets. The team of partners is working closely with the provider community to identify key compliance issues while engaging with state regulators to increase awareness of remaining challenges.

 NEW JERSEY

The leads the SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY Campaign in New Jersey. NCADD advocates on behalf of persons and their families affected by SUD and manages the state’s substance use disorder Medicaid benefit for individuals on TANF. NCADD-NJ also convenes the 30 members of the New Jersey Parity Coalition, which advocates for legislation that would increase Parity Act enforcement by the state insurance department and require annual data reporting by carriers on the application of non-quantitative treatment limitations.

 NEW YORK

leads the SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY Campaign in New York. LAC’s efforts have included work with the state attorney general and the Department of Financial Services to address parity violations. LAC also developed a Parity Guide for treatment providers, patients and advocates and plans to continue working with advocates and legislators to develop and implement new strategies for eliminating additional insurance barriers.

 OHIO

leads the SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY Campaign in Ohio. The Ohio Council represents 150 private, nonprofit organizations that provide substance use disorder, mental health and family services in Ohio. Through the Coalition for Healthy Communities, a broad-based coalition of nearly twenty organizations focused on Parity Act enforcement, the Council continues to advocate for additional consumer education on parity and the creation of a hotline to help consumers understand their insurance benefits.

The SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SOCIETY Campaign is supported by:

• Indivior, Inc.
• New York State Health Foundation
• The New York Community Trust
• The Open Society U.S. Programs
• The Open Society Institute-Baltimore