Contact:
Sophie Bethune
202.336.6134
Luana Bossolo
202.336.5899

September 19, 2007

“The historic passage of the U.S. Senate's Mental Health Parity Act brings us a step closer to equal treatment for millions of Americans with mental health and substance use disorders. For more than a decade, the American Psychological Association has been working to put an end to insurance practices that discriminate against those with mental health disorders. It has taken many years, considerable work and an unprecedented level of consensus between the mental health advocacy community and employers to finally be confident that genuine parity will soon be in place.

“When the Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 is signed in to law more than 113 million Americans will benefit. We look forward to action in the House as soon as possible.

The American Psychological Association applauds Senators Pete Domenici, Edward Kennedy and Michael Enzi for their persistent efforts on this issue and the leadership they have provided in spearheading this bill.”

The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 148,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting human welfare.