How recent federal policy changes promote integrated care: An overview

A longstanding separation of mental and general health in the United States has contributed to the under-identification of mental illnesses and poorer overall health outcomes than would be achieved with integrated care. Individuals with serious mental illness have been shown to die an average of 25 years earlier than otherwise expected. Improving integrated care for youth is of particular importance, as the National Institute of Mental Health has reported that more than half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. Recent legislation at the federal level has begun to address the need to improve integration of mental and general health care. This presentation will provide a broad overview of the opportunities created by the recent passage of several federal laws. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization (CHIPRA) of 2009, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) all include provisions that will promote the integration of mental and physical health.