As a constituent and pediatrician, I urge you to co-sponsor and work to pass mental health parity legislation (S. 558/H.R. 1424), measures necessary to improve the mental health of all Americans, especially children and adolescents.

While the need for mental health care and substance abuse treatment among children and adolescents is increasing, access to these services is decreasing, despite growing evidence that specific mental health and substance abuse treatments are particularly effective. An estimated 13 million children across the United States require such care, yet a substantial number of these children do not receive appropriate treatment. Children who receive timely and adequate access to these services often avoid costly treatment later in life. Mental health and substance abuse care positively impacts child behavior, brain development, parental health, and reductions in juvenile violence and detention.

Among the primary obstacles to appropriate access to mental health care for children are managed care systems that provide lower benefits for mental health care than for medical care. This often takes the form of higher co-payments, deductibles, and limits on visits and days of coverage. Legislation pending in both the House and Senate seeks to remedy this problem by requiring insurers and employers to guarantee that these and other treatment limitations on mental health care are no more stringent than similar restrictions on medical and surgical care. Coverage for substance abuse would also be required under this legislation. The proposed laws also contain provisions to ensure that small businesses are not overly burdened by these requirements.

Mental health parity is also an important issue in the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). I urge you to support efforts to establish parity in this vital program for children that must be strengthened and renewed this year.

Please co-sponsor and work to pass S. 558/H.R. 1424 as soon as possible to ensure that children receive the care they deserve. Thank you for your commitment to child health.