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A new federal law, the Mental Health Parity Act, will take effect for most insurance plans on Jan. 1, 2010, that is targeting increased coverage for mental health. As the economic crisis continues mental health issues are becoming a bigger concern in two major ways. First, stresses over one’s financial situation have exacerbated preexisting mental health problems. And second, due to decreased earnings, more people are foregoing treatment in order to save money. In a recent article for MSNBC, health writer JoNel Aleccia discusses how the recession has taken its toll on the nation’s mental health. Ms. Aleccia’s article, “Suicides in the downturn raise worries about recession’s real cost”, can be found by clicking here.

For a brief review of the Mental Health Parity Act please visit the New York Times article by Leslie Alderman entitled, “In Anxious Times, Medical Help for the Mind as Well as the Body“.