During a visit to the University of New Mexico on Monday, April 29, Bush announced his commitment to erode the stigma surrounding mental illness; his support for mental health parity in insurance coverage, and the launch of a Presidential Commission on Mental Health. National DMDA views this initiative as an important step forward for the 25 millions Americans living with depression or manic depression (also known as bipolar disorder), their families, friends, employers and coworkers.

"We applaud President Bush’s leadership in calling on Congress to enact mental health parity legislation this year," said Lydia Lewis, Executive Director of National DMDA. We join the President in this effort to remove the stigma of mental illness and, through the passage of mental health parity, to give those who suffer from the illness ‘the respect and the treatment, they deserve,’".

National DMDA is also heartened and encouraged by the President’s action in issuing an Executive Order establishing the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. We are also elated over the appointment of Michael Hogan, a well-respected consensus builder, to head this effort," said Lewis.

Early detection and consistent medical treatment can make substantial difference in how mental illness will affect people’s lives. Surveys show that more than half of those people living with depression or bipolar disorder are ashamed, embarrassed and/or angry that they have these medical illnesses. The stigma may cause people to avoid seeking treatment.

If treatment is sought, patients must overcome the barriers created by lack of insurance parity. Eighty-seven percent (87 %) of U.S. employer (health care insurance) plans contained at least one or more restrictive provisions for mental health benefits. Most prevalent are restrictions on the number of outpatient office visits and hospital day limits, with nearly two thirds of compliant employer plans having lower limits for mental health than for medical and surgical benefits.

The National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association, incorporated in 1986 and based in Chicago, has a grassroots network of more than 800 chapters and support groups across the United States and Canada. It is guided by a 65-member Scientific Advisory Board composed of the leading researchers and clinicians in the field of depressive illnesses.

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