APA's chief executive joined other organization leaders and senior officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at the Sept. 24 White House Behavioral Health Leaders Briefing.
The Affordable Care Act and mental health and substance abuse treatment parity were among the issues that APA CEO Norman B. Anderson, PhD, addressed with senior government officials.
"I was impressed by the breadth and depth of activities across government agencies, especially the emphasis on eliminating the barriers to care and removing the artificial separation of mental and physical health care in order to foster truly integrated health care," says Anderson. "The White House meeting was a wonderful opportunity to learn about many of the activities of the administration, including the Department of Health and Human Services, in advancing the treatment and prevention of mental and substance use disorders and to look for opportunities for APA members to be a part of those programs."