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Advocates In Kansas Seek Solutions To Disparities In Mental Health Coverage

KMUW | By Carla Eckels
Published December 8, 2017 at 10:01 AM CST
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A mental health organization in Kansas is seeking solutions from the state after a national report shows ongoing disparities in mental health coverage.

  

The survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, reveals that people lack the same access to mental health providers as they have for other medical providers. In Kansas, the data shows that in 2015, people had to seek therapists outside of their insurance network at a rate of 7 to 1 compared to primary care services.

Rick Cagan, executive director for NAMI Kansas, says "it's time to level the playing field" when it comes to mental health coverage.
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Rick Cagan, executive director for NAMI Kansas, says "it's time to level the playing field" when it comes to mental health coverage.

"It's time to level the playing field," says Rick Cagan, executive director of NAMI Kansas. "We need the insurance commissioner to take steps to make sure that there are regular market audits around what we call parity compliance for all private health insurance and Medicaid managed care plans."

Cagan says more than half of Kansas children and adults with a serious mental health condition are not in treatment.

--Carla Eckels is KMUW's director of cultural diversity and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.

To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.

Copyright 2017 KMUW | NPR for Wichita
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Carla Eckels
Carla Eckels is Director of Cultural Diversity for News and Engagement at KMUW. She has been an award-winning announcer and news producer for KMUW since 1996. Carla also produces and hosts the R&B and gospel show Soulsationsthat airs Sundays at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. She annually emcees Gospelfest at the Wichita River Festival and was voted Best Disc Jockey by subscribers of The Community Voice. Prior to coming to KMUW, Carla was the local host for NPR’s Morning Editionat WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and co-hosted a nationally syndicated gospel radio show in Cincinnati. Carla was also program director for KIBN, the Inspirational Black Network in Wichita, hosted the Joyful Sounds gospel show on Q92-FM and produced the number one gospel radio show on KSJM 107.9 JAMZ from 2004 to 2007.
See stories by Carla Eckels