Health Care - Behavioral Health

The League Supports:

• Behavioral health as the nationally accepted term that includes both mental illness and substance use disorder.
• Access for all people to affordable, quality in- and out-patient behavioral health care, including needed medications and supportive services.
• Behavioral health care that is integrated with, and achieves parity with, physical health care.
• Early and affordable behavioral health diagnosis and treatment for children and youth from early childhood through adolescence.
• Early and appropriate diagnosis and treatment for children and adolescents that is family-focused and community-based.
• Access to safe and stable housing for people with behavioral health challenges, including those who are chronically homeless.
• Effective reentry planning and follow-up for people released from both behavioral health hospitalization and the criminal justice system.
• Problem-solving or specialty courts, including mental health and drug courts, in all judicial districts to provide needed treatment and avoid inappropriate entry into the criminal justice system.
• Health education — from early childhood throughout life — that integrates all aspects of social, emotional, and physical health and wellness.
• Efforts to decrease the stigmatization of, and normalize, behavioral health problems and care.