October is Emotional Wellness Month

I didn't know there was an "Emotional Wellness Month" but there is! The following announcement comes from the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Mental Health Services 11420 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852 1-800-540-0320 promoteacceptance@samhsa.hhs.gov

October is Emotional Wellness Month and this year, we have much to celebrate.

On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed the economic bailout bill which included a provision that requires equal health coverage of mental and physical illnesses. Businesses that employ 50 or more people and that offer health insurance with mental health coverage must make sure that the coverage for mental illnesses is equivalent to the coverage for physical illnesses. The new laws will make it easier for people to obtain treatment for a wide range of mental health problems, including depression and schizophrenia.

The bill’s passing marks a new era in the history of mental health care and a turning point for advocates who have long championed parity for mental illnesses.