The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which took effect in 2010, aims to end health insurance benefit discrimination between mental health/substance use disorders and medical/surgical benefits for group health plans with more than 50 employees. Psychiatrists know all too well that better enforcement of this law is needed. AACAP is actively involved in improving the federal law, as well as efforts to advocate for more expansive parity through state legislation.

• AACAP Policy Statement: Parity and Access for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care
• The Kennedy Forum's Parity Track
• Milliman Research Report Addiction and mental health vs. physical health: Analyzing disparities in network use and provider reimbursement rates
• AACAP Comments on Interim Final Rules under the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008
  (May 5, 2010)
• AACAP Comments on the Implementation of the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008
  (May 28, 2009)
• How the Mental Health Parity Law Will Affect You