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Event Spotlights Urgent Need to Implement and Enforce 2022 Mental Health Parity Act

ATLANTA (Feb. 13, 2025) — Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà will host Mental Health Parity Day Feb. 19 at the Georgia State Capitol to discuss obstacles and solutions to implementing the Georgia Mental Health Parity Act of 2022. The act requires insurers to cover mental health care and substance use disorders the same way they cover physical health care in Georgia.

This is the second time since the Georgia Mental Health Parity Act was passed almost three years ago that Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà will have hosted an event convening mental health stakeholders to discuss how to advance mental health and well-being policies in the state.

“Thanks to Georgia’s mental health parity law, insurance companies are required to cover treatment for mental health care and substance use disorders on par with other illnesses,” said Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà Center Mental Health Program Director Eve Byrd. “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.”

To advance mental health care policy and educate Georgians about their rights, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is supporting Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ’s efforts to accelerate enforcement of the Mental Health Parity Act of 2022. The Center will launch a multimedia campaign in Atlanta in the coming months, with a focus on educating and empowering communities of color to access their insurance benefits covering mental health care and substance use disorder services.

The free Mental Health Parity Day event is open to the public and will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. Feb. 19 at Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington St. SW, Atlanta. is required, and lunch will be provided.

A Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà Center press conference to discuss the urgent need for parity implementation will be held from 2-2:30 p.m. inside the Georgia State Capitol at the bottom of the steps.

Speakers at the press event: 
Eve Byrd, Director, Mental Health Program, Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ
Paige Alexander, Chief Executive Officer, Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ
Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, Georgia House of Representatives, 82nd District
Rep. Todd Jones, Georgia House of Representatives, 25th District

Media can RSVP to cover the press event through noon Feb. 19 by emailing and lfleenor@jacksonspalding.com.

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Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ
Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà and former First Lady Rosalynn Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.