By former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy Fatal drug overdoses rose 30% in 2020, reaching a record high of 93,331, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol use is up. The percentage of adults experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression increased significantly since March 2020. The true impact of the COVID-19 … Continued
This month, The Kennedy Forum joined more than a dozen of the nation’s leading patient advocacy groups, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, in praising the U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The groups, representing millions … Continued
Since COVID-19 first became a part of our national vocabulary over a year and a half ago, the U.S. has adapted to many ‘new normals’ in government, health care, social services, and more. We saw people come together from various professional communities with one common goal: saving lives. The pandemic also proved that we can … Continued
NEW: A new federal parity rule was released Sept. 9, 2024. Get updates and insights. The landmark court decision, Wit vs United Behavioral Health, is now back in the news because the Defendant has appealed the lower court decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. In March 2021, United Behavioral Health (UBH) attorneys … Continued
During Mental Health Month 2021, we spoke directly with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh about the urgent need for parity enforcement, premiered a compelling new infographic about #988 as part of Mental Health Action Day, shined a spotlight on critical in-school mental health supports for kids, and much more. Details below. Policy Pulse The Kennedy Forum supported a slate of bipartisan mental … Continued
The Kennedy Forum applauds California Governor Gavin Newsom’s leadership in prioritizing mental health amid the state’s unexpected surplus, with a $4 billion proposed investment to support youth mental health in his revised budget. Earlier this spring, The Kennedy Forum, Steinberg Institute, and Well Being Trust urged state leaders to address youth mental health as data … Continued
When someone needs treatment for a mental health or substance use disorder, the last thing they or their family should have to worry about is an insurance coverage denial. Often, however, insurance denials are a major hurdle to receiving the right care, at the right time, and at the right level. The 2008 Mental Health … Continued
This month, an important parity bill in Illinois, HB2595, passed the House 114-0. It will require all health plans in Illinois to follow generally accepted standards of mental health care (best practices agreed upon by clinical experts) when making medical necessity determinations and use medical necessity criteria/guidelines reflecting these standards. The Kennedy Forum Illinois was instrumental … Continued
by David Lloyd, senior policy advisor, The Kennedy Forum Transgender and nonbinary children and youth are under unprecedented attack, as more than 20 state legislatures have introduced bills that would ban – and in some cases criminalize – their participation in organized sports, restrict their access to gender-affirming health care, and/or prohibit them from using … Continued
By Amy Kennedy, education director of The Kennedy Forum Even before COVID-19 changed life as we know it, young people in the U.S. were experiencing sharp increases in mental health conditions. Between 2009 and 2017, rates of depression increased by more than 60% among kids ages 14-17, and, over a similar time period, the rate of suicide … Continued
