Hard work on the part of advocates and the key senate and assembly committees resulted on forward movement of SB 362 and AB 512.

On December 22, the Senate Committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue approved an amended SB 362 by a 5-2 vote. In addition to the committee’s Democratic members, Republican Sen. Alberta Darling also voted yes, giving the legislation bi-partisan support. On December 17, the Assembly Committee on Health and Health Care Reform passed an amended AB 512 on a party-line vote of 8-5. The legislation will now advance for floor votes by the full Assembly and Senate. All committee members who voted in support of SB 362 or AB 512 are listed below. Please take a few minutes to contact your legislators who serve on these committees to thank them for their votes.

Senate Committee on Health, Health Insurance, Privacy, Property Tax Relief, and Revenue
Sen Jon Erpenbach, Chair; 608-266-6670
Sen Tim Carpenter; 608-266-8535
Sen Judith Robson; 608-266-2253
Sen Julie Lassa; 608-266-3123
Sen Alberta Darling; 608-266-5830

Assembly Committee on Health & Health Care Reform
Rep Jon Richards, Chair; 608-266-3404
Rep Chuck Benedict; 608-266-9967
Rep Penny Bernard Schaber; 608-266-3070
Rep Sandy Pasch; 608-266-7671
Rep Kelda Helen Roys; 608-266-5340
Rep Amy Sue Vruwink; 608-266-8366
Rep Donna Seidel; 608-266-0654
Rep Jennifer Shilling; 608-266-5680

PARITY RESOURCES:

The New Day Coalition, representing 83 mental health organizations from around the state, maintains an up-to-date website where community members can learn the status of mental health parity in Wisconsin, view recent media on the subject, explore what action they can take to promote parity and locate fact sheets on a variety of parity-related subjects.

Making Parity Real is a statewide series of symposia featuring moderated dialogue among local stakeholders -- providers, advocates, the recovery community and law enforcement officials -- to assess the major state policy challenges facing addiction and mental health services in Wisconsin. Based on information learned at Making Parity Real symposia, the Public Policy Institute plans to present state lawmakers and policymakers with recommendations to close Wisconsin's treatment gaps.

Parity Update 10/9/09

Wednesday morning's news conference by Senator Dave Hanson and Representative Sandy Pasch announced the introduction of the Wisconsin Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Act. The press conference was well attended by the media, legislators and their staff, and interested advocacy groups. In addition to hearing data about the effectiveness of treatment and the long term cost benefits for businesses, we had an opportunity to hear from several individuals about their personal and family experiences with mental illness and addictions. Every piece of data was convincing. Every personal story was compelling.

But we need to remember that news conferences tend to be like that ... one side of the picture is revealed. Our challenge now is to begin presenting our data and our stories in an equally convincing and compelling manner when faced with those who oppose insurance parity for mental health and substance abuse treatment. The real work begins now!!

Following the news conference, Sen. Hanson and Rep. Pasch issued a memo urging their colleagues to sign on as cosponsors of the legislation. As part of their memo, they included the impressively long list of organizations that are part of the New Day Coalition. NAMI Wisconsin represents all affiliates as a member of the Coalition.

The bill authors will collect names of co-sponsors until October 21, at which time the bills will be formally introduced and then scheduled for hearings. Please contact your legislators to let them know that you support this bill and would like to see them step up as a co-sponsor. If you have a compelling story the emphasizes the importance of mental health insurance parity it is important to share this as well.

Click here to verify your local legislators: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx

As hearings are scheduled we will be looking for people to provide personal testimony related to the need for parity. If you have such a story to tell please contact NAMI Wisconsin.

Below are two documents that can prepare you for advocacy efforts in support of the legislation. One is the briefing package that was distributed to the media. Also attached is a copy of the bill draft itself. There will actually be two identical "companion bills". In their current draft form they are LRB 3614/1 for the Senate and 3406/2 for the Assembly.

The basic message is really quite straightforward: This legislation is virtually identical to parity bills introduced in previous sessions, plus some features specifically designed to fill in the gap created following enactment of the Federal Parity Act. Federal Parity applies to businesses with 51 or more employees but does not include businesses with fewer than 50 employees. It has been estimated that more than 700,000 Wisconsin citizens will not be covered by the Federal Parity Law, and we need to close this gap.

Please contact NAMI Wisconsin with any questions and check the website for Parity updates.

Jennifer Lowenberg
Advocacy and Training Specialist
NAMI Wisconsin, Inc
800-236-2988

Text of Parity Bill (PDF)
Parity Fact Sheets (PDF)