The faltering economy has more people seeking mental health services.

Gov. Jay Nixon touted an agreement with the Missouri Hospital Association that will use federal funding to provide health care to thousands of Missouri parents Monday.

The Missouri House Budget Committee is proposing an additional $58 million reduction in federal funding for the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, issued a national report card today that gives Missouri a "C" grade for its public mental health care system.

Democrats and Republicans are battling over what is shaping up to be one of the most contentious issues in the healthcare debate.

With President Obama's plan to tax the rich to pay for health care facing skepticism on Capitol Hill, key lawmakers are pressing a different way to raise money.

If the global economy were a 100-yard dash, the U.S. would start 23 yards behind its closest competitors because of health care that costs too much and delivers too little.

The latest news is available at
www.CoverMissouri.org

Mental health is an integral part of overall health. The President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health estimates an annual loss of $63 billion due to the loss of productivity caused by mental illnesses. Mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability among individuals ages 15 to 44 in the United States and Canada.

Nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional. Individuals seeking treatment for a mental illness or substance abuse disorder may have difficulty accessing services for a variety of reasons, including: a shortage of trained staff, stigma, lack of insurance, and insurance which does not cover mental health and substance abuse services.

Approximately 1 in 4 Missourians are impacted by mental health disorders. In Missouri, an estimated 6 percent of the population (348,000) need ongoing services and support for serious mental illnesses, including depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

Health insurance is no guarantee of access to mental health services. Mental health and substance abuse services are often provided and paid for separately from other health care services. Mental health parity, signed into federal law in October 2008, requires that health insurance firms cover mental health and substance abuse in the same manner as other health conditions by 2010. This reform will improve coverage for around 113 million people.

Learn more about this significant health issue in Missouri and policy options to address its impact:

• Treating the Whole Missourian: Mental Health and Substance Abuse (excerpt from Cover Missouri report - Issues in Missouri Health Care 2009)
• President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health - Final Report
• National Alliance on Mental Illness MO Report Card.