Heard in the Halls is an email service of NAMI North Carolina to provide updates on state legislative and policy issues. Heard in the Halls is produced for community advocates at least monthly and more frequently during sessions of the General Assembly. To be added to the Heard in the Halls list send a message to heard@naminc.org with just "subscribe" (no quotes) in the subject header. Because of the variety of e-mail servers, Heard in the Halls is sent in plain text and as a formatted attachment. Previous issues of Heard in the Halls can be viewed a www.naminc.org

5-27-03

This is the last edition of Heard in the Halls to have been written and edited by Beth Melcher, Director of Public Policy for NAMI North Carolina. It is with great sadness—but also with great pride in the extraordinary range of her achievements on behalf of NAMI North Carolina—that we announce Beth has resigned her position with NAMI North Carolina. She has accepted a position as project director of a federal grant on implementation of best practice services for people with mental illness in North Carolina.

Beth has selflessly given so much to help so many in her nine years with NAMI North Carolina. She has been a continuing inspiration to all of us who work so hard to make a difference for those with brain disorders. We know that Beth will continue to support NAMI North Carolina’s policy program just as we will continue to support her in her new position. We wish her the very best and know that she will continue to make a critical difference for people living with mental illness and their families in the state of North Carolina.

Please join us in thanking Beth for her significant contribution to NAMI North Carolina. She will be missed.

The revised (committee substitute) version of the mental health and substance abuse parity bill, H654 will be heard in the House Insurance Committee Thursday May 29th. At the request of Insurance Committee Co-Chair Rep. Hugh Holliman and others, this new version tries to address the concerns raised within the committee at pervious hearings. Representatives from the insurance industry and business community have refused to discuss the revised bill. Reflecting language similar to the Federal parity bill, the primary change is that the revised bill is no longer a mandate. The language in the revised bill states that if mental health/substance abuse benefits are offered by an employer or insurance plan, then those benefits must be at parity. While this is not all that we have wanted, it is an important step in the right direction that we can build upon in future years. (For background information on parity go to the NAMI North Carolina public policy agenda at: http://www.naminc.org/PPAgenda/PPA_home.htm)

It is critical to contact the members of the House Insurance Committee before Thursday the 29^th and urge them to vote favorably on the bill.

Email the House Insurance Committee members and use the parity alert and talking points on the cyber-advocacy site to contact the members all at once. http://capwiz.com/cdpmi/issues/alert/?alertid=2287421&type=CU

You also may call or email directly using the contact info below: 

Rep. Hugh Holliman, Co-Chair, 919-733-5827, hugh@ncleg.net
Rep. Mitchell Setzer Co-Chair, 919-733-4948, mitchells@ncleg.net
Rep. John Hall, 919-733-5878, johnh@ncleg.net
Rep. Lucy Allen, 919-733-5860, lucya@ncleg.net
Rep. Bobby Barbee, 919-733-5908, bobbyb@ncleg.net
Rep. Robert Grady, 919-715-9644, robertg@ncleg.net
Rep. Howard Hunter, 919-733-2962, howardh@ncleg.net 
Rep. Charles Johnson, 919-715-3021, charlesj@ncleg.net
Rep. Linda Johnson, 919-733-5821, lindajo@ncleg.net
Rep. David Lewis, 919-715-3015, davidl@ncleg.net
Rep. David Miner, 919-733-5934, davidm@ncleg.net
Rep. Karen Ray, 919-733-5741, karenr@ncleg.net
Rep. Drew Saunders, 919-733-5606, drews@ncleg.net
Rep. William Wainwright, 919-733-5995, williamw@ncleg.net
Rep. Constance Wilson 919-733-5849, conniewi@ncleg.net
Rep. Thomas Wright , 919-733-5754, tomw@ncleg.net