The Kennedy Forum led a letter co-signed by 10 leading organizations welcoming Daniel Aronowitz, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Sept. 18 as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).

EBSA plays a critical role in protecting the rights of America’s workers and families, including enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), which requires that insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) conditions should be no more restrictive than insurance coverage for other medical conditions.

The confirmation comes at an important time for MHPAEA, as the Administration signaled it is reconsidering the 2024 Parity Final Rule following a suit from the ERISA Industry Committee. The 2024 rule helped enforce mental health parity by clarifying some aspects of parity and providing a more systematic and transparent approach to oversight.

In the letter, the groups underlined a joint belief that there is a path forward with parity to meet the needs of consumers, employers, health plans, and providers, and to focus on real access to MH/SUD care, as 90% of Americans believe we are in a mental health crisis, and many Americans with the greatest mental health concerns reported that their insurance coverage is lacking.

Read the full joint letter below and stay connected to The Kennedy Forum to learn the latest about mental health parity and policy.