WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, SportsLegislation aims for better mental health & addiction treatment

Legislation aims for better mental health & addiction treatment

by Colby Robertson

WAUSAU (WAOW) -- One quarter of the population suffers from mental illness and addiction. It's a growing problem because few have access to affordable treatment. Now one group is weighing in.

Friday state lawmakers and experts gathered in Wausau for a statewide series discussing mental illness and addiction and whether it should be funded in the same way as physical illness.

This series is called "Making Parity Real". Essentially this group believes in equal treatment. For years treatment for mental illness and addiction has been under funded and now legislators are working to repair the damage.

Mental illness affects about 1 in 4 adults. Drug and alcohol addiction affects 1 in 11 Americans. That's why these state lawmakers and area experts are here to make parity real. The goal to present state lawmakers with ways to improve the treatment of mental health and addiction in Wisconsin.

Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau) says, "It's no secret anywhere that drug and alcohol issues create enormous problems for our communities all around Wisconsin, so it's really important we address them early."

Representatives Donna Seidel and Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay) are at the forefront of pending legislation.

Rep. Sandy Pasch says, "It says you have to treat mental illness the same way you treat physical illness. You can't carve it out."

The Wisconsin Mental Health and Substance Parity Act essentially fills the gap of the current federal legislation (Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008).

Rep. Sandy Pasch says, "It's really plugging a hole that was put in when we didn't have a good understanding of mental illness and we do have a good understanding and we do have good effective treatments that will enable people to be productive members of society and better workers with less absenteeism and better productivity on the job."

Rep. Pasch says this new legislation has the potential to affect 700,000 Wisconsinites who work for small employers  and that's plenty of motivation to get the word out to the experts and advocates throughout the community.

Rep. Donna Seidel says, "If we don't take care of mental health issues, we're going to take care of as a society these individuals whose problems aren't going to go away in a much different way."

The Wisconsin Parity Act did pass out of the Senate with good bi-partisan support in January. The Assembly has not taken it up yet.

Online Reporter: Colby Robertson