Those in the substance abuse and mental health fields are encouraging people to call their legislators today to make sure that addiction and mental illness prevention, treatment and recovery are included in any healthcare reform considered by Congress and the Obama Administration.
If you’d like to participate, visit the Faces and Voices of Recovery Action Alert page. Type in your zip code to find your local legislators’ contact information.
The CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) also sent out an email with this suggested message to leave:
“I am calling to urge you to ensure that addiction and mental illness prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery are fully and equitably included in healthcare reform. Research confirms that substance use disorders and serious mental illnesses are chronic diseases for which prevention and treatment are effective. Specifically, please include substance use/abuse prevention on par with nutrition, smoking and tobacco cessation issues within any health and wellness funds authorized in healthcare reform legislation.”
According to the CADCA, momentum for healthcare reform is building. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee recently released a draft of its bill, and both the Senate Finance Committee and the Committees of jurisdiction in the House (Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce) are expected to release their drafts of healthcare reform legislation this week.
