NAMISMARTS for Advocacy: Filing a Mental Health Parity Violation

Taught by Sita Diehl, former State Policy Director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness

Learn what mental health parity (mental health and substance use conditions) is and how to identify and file a violation. Mental health providers are encouraged to attend so that they can help their clients identify and file violations as well.


Are you seeking treatment to improve your mental health? Are you interested in treatment for a substance use disorder? If you or someone you know falls into one of these categories, you should plan to attend this upcoming meeting on fairness in health coverage.

Did you know that Federal law requires most health plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment at the same level as all other medical care?

Health insurance should help millions of Americans get the treatment they need, yet health plan members often face lower visit limits, higher costs and stricter review for mental health or substance use disorder care than for other types of medical treatment.

Enforcement of these parity laws relies on consumer complaints. Unless officials receive complaints, they assume there is no need to take additional action.

Most people don’t even know what parity is, much less what to do if they are not receiving parity coverage. Very few know that filing a parity complaint is easy and often leads to coverage of the desired care.

Join us to learn how to advocate for parity!

Learn how to assert your parity rights at this presentation. Using the hallmark NAMI Smarts method, this hands-on, skill-building lesson will help you:

- Learn about parity
- Understand how parity laws can help
- Identify warning signs of parity problems
- Learn the quick, easy steps to file a complaint


Co-sponsors: First Call and Mental Health America of the Heartland

RSVP at: https://namismarts-kansascity.eventbrite.com/

Questions: Contact Jackie Hudson at [email protected] or 314-775-1600.


NOTE: This event will be held in four locations across the state on the following dates:

Monday, January 22: St. Louis
Tuesday, January 23: Jefferson City and Springfield
Wednesday, January 24: Kansas City

Find details for these and other events at: www.NAMIMissouri.eventbrite.com