Mental Health in the Context of Health Disparities

A longstanding theme of mental health policy has been the tension between the integration of mental health into general health policy and exceptionalism. Integration is represented by policies such as parity in health insurance coverage, and exceptionalism by “carve-outs” of mental health care to behavioral health care organizations. Frank and Glied have argued that policies based on exceptionalism in mental health are waning and that integration has had salutary effects on persons with mental illness through mainstreaming into general social and health programs (notably Medicaid). (September 2008)