WOONSOCKET – Gov. Gina M. Raimondo signed an executive order Friday at Thundermist Health Center calling for access to behavioral health care at a cost equitable with primary care, an action plan for improvements to adult and pediatric behavioral and mental health care systems, and ordered agencies to campaign to improve public attitudes about mental illness and addiction.
Former R.I. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt and members of the governor’s cabinet joined Raimondo as she signed the executive order at the health center.
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“I am so thrilled to return to Rhode Island and join Governor Raimondo at the signing of this monumental executive order that demonstrates Rhode Island’s leadership on mental health parity,” said Kennedy.
“I’m honored that Governor Raimondo chose to sign this executive order here in Woonsocket,” said Baldelli-Hunt. “It’s crucial that Rhode Islanders with mental health and substance use disorders get the services and support they need. It’s encouraging to see so many Rhode Islanders coming together at the local and state levels.”
The governor’s executive order is drafted to ensure Rhode Islanders aren’t blocked from mental health care because it’s too expensive because they can’t find a provider to see them or because their insurers are requiring excessive and unnecessary paperwork.
Specifically, the order:
- Directs state agencies to be even more vigilant in reviewing how insurance companies are treating mental and behavioral health needs to ensure access to care is fair and timely.
- Calls for developing an action plan by November 2018 to guide improvements to adult and pediatric behavioral and mental health care systems.
- Directs agencies to work on a new statewide campaign to improve public attitudes around mental illness and addiction.
“Nearly one-quarter of adults in Rhode Island have a mental health diagnosis. We need to get to a place where we can talk about mental health openly and often,” said Raimondo. “We need to eliminate anything that is standing in the way of people getting help. Mental health care is a right, and we have more work to do to ensure that all Rhode Islanders have the care they need.”
“As Rhode Island grapples with an opioid-addiction epidemic, it is crucial that insurance companies recognize the importance of mental and behavioral health to overall health,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., a co-author of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, the principal law guiding the federal government’s response to the opioid epidemic. “I commend Governor Raimondo for taking action today, and former Congressman Kennedy for leading the way on this important issue nationally.”
“The president and Republicans in Congress have consistently tried to make it harder for Americans to access high-quality affordable mental health care. Their attacks on the Affordable Care Act and proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid would strip Rhode Islanders of their ability to access this essential care,” said Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I. “Governor Raimondo, on the other hand, is taking concrete action to improve quality and expand access for Rhode Islanders. I applaud the governor’s leadership, and I’ll continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure all Americans have access to this essential health care.”
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
