Advocates push for Georgia to enforce mental health care requirements

By Abby Kousouris, Atlanta News First

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Mental Health America reports Georgia ranks 48th out of 50 states for access to health care, resources and insurance.

Lawmakers and advocates discussed obstacles and solutions at The Carter Center’s Second Annual Mental Health Parity Day.

State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, announced new plans to make sure a piece of legislation known as the Mental Health Parity Act is enforced.

“The insurance industry is blocking too many reforms that we need to move forward with,” said Oliver.

Oliver is one of the coauthors of the legislation, which is seen as monumental for mental health care and substance abuse resources in Georgia.

Years later, she says true parity has not been achieved.

“The Parity bill passed in 2022, created opportunities for the insurance commissioner to receive complaints from both consumers and providers,” said Oliver. “The complaints are not coming forward in the way that they need to come forward. Providers and hospitals will tell us that they’re not getting coverage for mental health services, but they’re not putting the complaints in the right format for us to get real enforcement. Some of the legislation we’re working on is to enhance those enforcement opportunities, and I’m hopeful that we’ll make additional progress this year.”

The Carter Center is continuing the legacy of the late former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, a longtime champion for the rights of people with mental illnesses.

The Carter Center announced plans for a campaign to educate and empower underserved communities on how to access their insurance benefits covering mental health care and substance use disorder services.

“We encourage people with mental health and substance use concerns to call their insurance company to find out how they can obtain services and treatment. Georgians need to know that treatment can help, is available, and that it is their right to access it,” said Carter Center Mental Health Program Director Eve Byrd.

Oliver said she has drafted legislation and plans to work with Republican House Speaker Jon Burns, who has a similar commitment to the effort as Late House Speaker David Ralston.