On Thursday, July 22, 2010, the American Mental Health Counselors Association presented Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) with its 2010 Legislator of the Year Award.î
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On Thursday, July 22, 2010, the American Mental Health Counselors Association presented Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) with its ì2010 Legislator of the Year Award.î Counselors Joan Normandy-Dolberg (VA), Dr. Camille Clay (DC), and Larry Epp (MD) accompanied AMHCAs Director of Legislative Affairs, Julie A. Clements, J.D., to Rep. Kennedyís Capitol Hill office to present the award. Rep. Kennedy graciously accepted the honor and sat down with AMHCAs counselor representatives for fifteen minutes to discuss mental health legislative advances. (Shown L to R: Normandy-Dolberg, Epp, Rep. Kennedy, Clay, and Clements)
AMHCA members praised Rep. Kennedy for pushing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 provisions Congress, in conjunction with his father, the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Additionally, they thanked Rep. Kennedy for using his voice, as well as seat on the House Appropriations Committee, to promote the mental health of active duty military personnel and veterans and an escalation in the dollars allocated to the research of debilitating mental health disorders. Rep. Kennedy spoke of the long-associated stigma of mental illness and urged mental health counselors to support his efforts to increase funding for what he deems ìneurological illnessî research. Along with AMHCAs mental health counselors, Rep. Kennedy addressed the heightened mental health statistics affecting the United Statesí military. Rep. Kennedy has proposed using funds allocated to the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to make bold advances in the research of post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.
Although Rep. Kennedy is retiring from the U.S. House this November, he has pledged to AMHCA members his continued desire to promote mental health for all Americans. Rep. Kennedy asked mental health counselors to support his legislative efforts by working to ensure the mental health provisions included in the newly enacted health reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), fulfill their intended purpose. Among the myriad provisions contained within PPACA are provisions originating from the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 which make mental health benefits part of new health insurance plansí ìessential benefits packageî and promise to provide mental health and substance use services on par with traditionally provided medical and surgical health benefits.
AMHCA lauds Rep. Kennedy for his commitment to the concerns and needs of mental health consumers and providers. It is with the utmost appreciation that AMHCA recognizes Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy for his mental health advocacy work by naming him AMHCA's 2010 Legislator of the Year.