[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 12, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E365-E367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PAUL WELLSTONE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION EQUITY ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 2008

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would ask that the following letters of 
support for H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction 
Equity Act of 2008, submitted for the Record on the floor debate on 
this hill.


                                         Parity Now Coalition,

                                                    March 3. 2008.
     Hon. Patrick Kennedy,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jim Ramstad,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Kennedy and Representative Ramstad: The 
     undersigned organizations applaud you for your commitment to 
     mental health and addiction parity legislation. We wish to 
     thank you and your staffs for the countless hours you have 
     dedicated to this bill thus far and look forward to working 
     with you towards enacting the Paul Wellstone Mental Health 
     and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 into law.
       We hereby lend our formal support to this invaluable piece 
     of legislation.


                         NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

       AFL-CIO
       AIDS Action Council
       Alliance for Children and Families
       American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
       American Academy of HIV Medicine
       American Academy of Neurology
       American Academy of Pediatrics
       American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
       American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
       American Association for Psychological Rehabilitation
       American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence
       American Association of Children's Residential Centers
       American Association of Pastoral Counselors
       American Association of Suicidology
       American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
       American Counseling Association
       American Federation of Teachers
       American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
       American Group Psychotherapy Association
       American Hospital Association
       American Medical Association
       American Mental Health Counselors Association
       American Music Therapy Association
       American Nurses Association
       American Occupational Therapy Association
       American Psychiatric Nurses Association
       Amercan Psychoanalytic Association
       American Psychotherapy Association
       American Probation and Parole Association
       American Public Health Association
       American School Health Association
       American Society of Addiction Medicine
       Anna Westin Foundation
       Anxety Disorders Association of America
       Association for the Advancement of Psychology
       Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare
       Association for Psychological Science
       Association of American Medical Colleges
       Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies
       Association of Recovery Schools
       Association of University Centers on Disabilities
       Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
       Betty Ford Center
       Bradford Health Services
       Caron Treatment Centers
       Center for Clinical Social Work
       Center for Science in the Public Interest
       Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity 
     Disorder
       Child Welfare League of America
       Clinical Social Work Association
       Clinical Social Work Guild 49, OPEIU
  Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
       Cumberland Heights
       Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
       Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
       Easter Seals
       Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy and Action
       Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center/
     EDReferral.com
       Entertainment Industries Council
       Faces and Voices of Recovery
       Families for Depression Awareness
       Families USA
       Family Voices
       Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
       First Focus
       Hazelden Foundation
       HIV Medicine Association
       Housing Works, Inc
       Human Rights Campaign
       Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research
       Johnson Institute
       Kids Project
       Legal Action Center
       Mental Health America
       NAADAC--The Association for Addiction Professionals
       National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good 
     Shepherd
       National Advocates for Pregnant Women
       National Alliance of Methadone Advocates
       National Alliance to End Homelessness
       National Association for Children of Alcoholics
       National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers
       National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated 
     Disorders--ANAD
       National Association of County and City Health Officials
       National Association of County Behavioral Health and 
     Developmental Disability Directors

[[Page E366]]

       National Association of Mental Health Planning & Advisory 
     Councils
       National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
       National Association of School Psychologists
       National Association of Social Workers
       National Association of State Directors of Special 
     Education
       National Association on Alcohol, Drugs, and Disability, 
     Inc.
       National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
       National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
       National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD)
       National Council on Independent Living
       National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI)
       National Eating Disorders Association
       National Eating Disorders Coalition
       National Educational Alliance for Borderline Personality 
     Disorder
       National Education Association
       National Hispanic Medical Association
       National Mental Health Awareness Campaign
       National Physicians Alliance
       National Recreation and Park Association
       National Research Center for Women & Families
       National Rural Health Association
       Northamerican Association of Masters in Psychology
       Obsessive Compulsive Foundation
       PACER Center
       Partnership for a Drug-Free America
       Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office
       Recovery Network Foundation
       School Social Work Association of America
       Society for Research on Child Development
       Society of Professors of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
       Students for Sensible Drug Policy
       Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
       State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS)
       Therapeutic Communities of America
       TII CANN--Title II Community AIDS National Network
       Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc.
       Union for Reform Judaism
       United Jewish Community
       United Methodist Church--General Board of Church and 
     Society
       United Neighborhood Centers of America
       U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
       Wellstone Action


                     LOCAL AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS

       622 Communities Partnership, Inc., Minnesota Affiliate of 
     the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc
       AA Safe Haven
       Abilities in Motion
       Addiction Recovery Institute
       Addiction Resource Council
       Addiction Treatment Providers of New Jersey
       Advocates for Recovery
       Alabama Voices for Recovery & Drug Education Council
       Alcohol and Addictions Resource Center
       Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County, Inc.
       Alcohol and Drug Council of North Carolina
       Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York State
       Alcoholism Council of New York
       Alcoholism Council of the Cincinnati Area, NCADD
       Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness
       Alliance for Recovery
       Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, Inc.
       Alpha Project for the Homeless
       A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing)
       Anacostia Young Peoples Club
       Arizona Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
       Arizona Council of Human Service Providers
       Arkansas Association of Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
       Association of Persons Affected by Addiction
       Association of Substance Abuse Programs of Texas
       Aspire of Western New York, Inc.
       Barbara Schneider Foundation
       Behavioral Health Services Association of South Carolina
       BRiDGEs, Madison County Council on Alcoholism and Substance 
     Abuse, Inc.
       Bucks County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
       Burke Council on Alcoholism & Chemical Dependency. Inc.
       California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources
       California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program 
     Executives
       California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse 
     Counselors
       Chautauqua Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Council (CASAC)
       Childrens Health Initiative
       Chemical Dependency Center of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Inc.
       Coalition of Louisiana Addiction Prevention and Service 
     Providers
       Coastal Horizons Center, Inc.
       Colorado Association of Alcohol & Drug Service Providers
       Community and Family Resources
       Compassionate Women of the World
       Connecticut Association of Addiction Professionals
       Connecticut Association of Non-Profits
       Council on Addictions of New York State (CANYS)
       Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for Greater New Orleans
       Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse of Sullivan County
       Council on Substance Abuse--NCADD
       The Council on Substance Abuse & Mental Health
       County Alcohol and Drug Program Administrators Association 
     of California
       Dads and Daughters
       Delaware Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
       DePaul's National Council on Alcoholism and Drug
       Dependence--Rochester Area
       Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
       Detroit Recovery Project
       Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for 
     Exceptional Children
       Dora Weiner Foundation
       Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of 
     Pennsylvania
       Drug and Alcohol Treatment Association of Rhode Island
       The Elisa Project
       Employee & Family Resources, Inc.
       Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and 
     Substance Abuse, Inc.
       Exponents
       Faces and Voices of Recover--Greenville, SC
       Faces and Voices of Recovery-Pee Dee
       Faces and Voices of Recovery--South Carolina
       Faces and Voices of Recovery--Westchester
       Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Center
       Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association
       Focus on Community
       Friends of Delaware and Otsego Counties, Inc.
       Friends of Recovery--Monroe County
       Friends of Recovery--Vermont
       Gail R. Schoenbach/FREED Foundation
       Gateway Foundation
       Georgia Council on Substance Abuse
       GLAD House, Inc.
       Greater Flint Project Vox
       Greater Macomb Project Vox
       Gurze Books
       Hanley Center
       Harbor Hall, Inc.
       Hope4you
       Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association
       Indiana Association of Substance Abuse Providers
       Iowa Substance Abuse Program Directors Association
       Jawonio, Inc
       Kansas Association of Addiction Professionals
       Kingdom Recovery Center
       Kristin Brooks Hope Center
       Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
       Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery (MAAR)
       Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs
       Maine Substance Abuse Foundation
       Maryland Addictions Directors Council
       Maryland Chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and 
     Drug Dependence
       Maryland NAMA
       Massachusetts Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse 
     Counselors
       Massachusetts Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
       Counselors McHenry County Mental Health Board (IL)
       McShin Foundation
       Mental Health and Substance Abuse
       Corporations of Massachusetts
       Methadone Support Org.
       Michigan Association of License Substance Abuse 
     Organizations
       Mississippi Association of Addiction Services
       Missouri Addiction Counselor Association
       Missouri Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Programs
       Missouri Recovery Network
       Missouri Recovery Network--Jefferson City Chapter
       Montana Addiction Service Providers
       Montana Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
       Counselors
       M-Power, Inc.
       Mountain Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence
       Nantucket Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, Inc.
       Nantucket Behavioral Health
       National Alliance on Mental Illness, Minnesota
       National Alliance on Mental Illness, Rhode Island
       NCADD, Greater Kansas City
       NCADD, Michigan
       NCADD, South Bay
       NCADD, Greater Detroit Area
       NCADD, Long Beach
       NCADD, Middlesex County Inc.
       NCADD, New Jersey
       NCADD, Northwest Florida
       NCADD, Orange County
       NCADD, Phoenix
       NCADD, Sacramento Region Affiliate
       NCADD, San Fernando Valley
       NCADD, Silicon Valley
       NCADD, St. Louis Area
       NCADD, Tulare County. Inc.
       National Council on Alcoholism/Lansing Regional Area, Inc.

[[Page E367]]

       Nebraska Association of Behavioral Health Organizations
       Nevada Alliance for Addictive Disorders Advocacy, 
     Prevention & Treatment Services
       New England National Alliance of Methadone Advocates
       New Hampshire Alcohol & Other Drug Service Providers 
     Association
       New York AIDS Coalition
       NJ Advocates--NJ Chapter of NAMA
       Nicks Place
       North Carolina Association of Alcoholic Residential 
     Facilities
       North Carolina Substance Abuse Providers Association
       North Dakota Addiction Treatment Providers Coalition
       Northern California Chapter of the National Alliance of 
     Methadone Advocates
       Northern Michigan Project Vox
       Northpointe Council, Inc.
       Ohio Citizen Advocates for Chemical Dependency Prevention & 
     Treatment
       Ohio Council of Behavioral Healthcare Providers
       Oklahoma Faces and Voices of Recovery
       Oklahoma Substance Abuse Services Alliance
       Ophelia's Place
       Oregon Prevention, Recovery, and Education Association
       PAR--People Advocating Recovery
       Parent-To-Parent, Inc.
       Pennsylvania Recovery Organization--Achieving Community 
     Together (PRO-ACT)
       Puente de Vida
       The RASE Project Buprenorphine Coordinator Program
       Recovery Center
       Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.
       Recovery Resource Center
       Volunteers of America Alaska
       Royal Oak (Michigan) Save Our Youth Task Force
       Recovery Resources
       Rockland Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependence
       Samaritan Village
       Seaway Valley Prevention Council
       The Second Road, Inc.
       Society of Addiction Counselors of Colorado
       South Carolina Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse 
     Counselors
       South Dakota Association for Addiction Professionals
       South Dakota Council of Substance Abuse Providers
       Spirit Works Foundation Center for the Soul
       Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery
       Alliance (SAARA) of Virginia
       Substance Abuse Directors Association of Alaska
       Substance Abuse Recovery Alliance of Utah
       Suicide Awareness Voice of Education
       Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug, & Addiction 
     Services
       Townsend Recovery, LLC
       Transformation Center
       Turning Point Recovery Center
       Upstate Cerebral Palsy (NY)
       Utah Behavioral Healthcare Network
       Vericare Management
       Vermont Association of Drug & Alcohol Programs
       Virginia Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors
       Virginia Association of Drug and Alcohol Programs
       Washington Association of Alcoholism & Addiction Programs
       Western Massachusetts School Substance Abuse Counselors 
     Association
       West Virginia Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse 
     Counselors. Inc.


                                        Mental Health America,

                                Alexandria, VA, February 27, 2008.
       Dear Representative: On behalf of Mental Health America and 
     our 320 affiliates across the country, I am writing to 
     express our strong support for House passage of the Paul 
     Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007, 
     H.R. 1424, at the earliest possible date. House passage of 
     this historic legislation is a critical step toward enactment 
     this year of a strong mental health parity law.
       Mental health conditions are the leading cause of 
     disability in the U.S. for individuals ages 15-44, and a 
     leading cause of premature death, implicated in 90% of the 
     more than 30,000 suicides annually in this country. While 
     scientific advances have led to the development of a range of 
     effective treatments, millions of Americans who need mental 
     health care are routinely denied access to those treatments, 
     with often tragic results.
       Despite a compelling body of science documenting that such 
     practices are anachronistic and costly to employee health and 
     to the ``bottom line,'' employer-sponsored health plans 
     routinely continue to set strict, arbitrary treatment limits 
     and financial requirements on mental health coverage, while 
     imposing no such limitations, or far less onerous 
     limitations, on coverage for other illnesses. It is shocking, 
     more than 40 years after the passage of civil rights laws and 
     15 years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities 
     Act, that federal law still permits insurance discrimination 
     on the basis of mental illness. Our polling has consistently 
     shown that Americans abhor such discrimination and support 
     the enactment of a strong mental health panty law. Congress 
     can and must pass such legislation this year.
       Please support improved access to needed mental health 
     treatment. Please support H.R. 1424.
           Sincerely,
                                                   David L. Shern,
     President and CEO.

                          ____________________