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Ensure Mental Health as Essential Health The Kennedy Forum remains steadfast in its commitment to instigate profound and lasting change by ensuring mental health as essential health. In addition to conducting our own deep policy work we foster multistakeholder partnerships that engage government nonprofit organizations private sector companies and investors and community organizations. Our Focus Areas Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Coverage Parity The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires health insurance carriers to cover Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders equitably and not limit treatment any more than they do for medicalsurgical benefits. The Kennedy Forum was founded and continues to work towards full implementation of the Act with partners from government industry and the mental health and substance use community.