Healthline Analysis Election 2008: Candidates Speak Out on Mental Health

• Clinton:
• Supports expanding mental health services, preventive mental health services
• Supports mental health parity with other health conditions - co-sponsor of the Mental Health Parity Bill of 2007
  
• favors doing away with discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, including mental health and substance abuse
• Co-sponsored the Healing the Invisible Wounds Act of 2006 in support of ensuring support for our troops mental health care needs
• Introduced the Positive Aging Act 2007 to give mental health parity within Medicare for seniors
• Supports alternatives to inappropriate imprisonment of the mentally ill
• Obama:
• Supports expansion of mental health services and preventive services
• Supports mental health parity with other health conditions - co-sponsor of the Mental Health Parity Bill of 2007
  
• strong supporter of the bipartisan Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007
• has a comprehensive plan for assessing the mental health needs of troops, including National Guardsman, at every stage of deployment, including recruitment and transitioning to return to civilian life
• he was an original cosponsor of legislation supporting a comprehensive TBI plan, including pre and post deployment screenings
• he has committed to fully funding the VA
• supports greater investment in NIMH
• supports a crime policy that ensures that people with mental illness get the treatment they need
• McCain
• supports providing incentives to treating physical and behavioral health together
• design reimbursement models that reward treating the whole person, including mental health and behavioral aspects of mental illness
• emphasis on prevention, especially in children
• advocate for the housing needs of the mentally ill and veterans
• Romney
• has not responded

Labels: election 2008, mental health, mental illness

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