Patrick Kennedy: Part 1: We Can Fix Mental Health Care If We Build Power
5/27/202625 min
We talk with former U.S. representative Patrick Kennedy about why mental health parity still fails in practice and what it takes to make insurers and employers cover care that actually works.
We keep coming back to one idea: real change happens when we build power and design a system that rewards early help, long-term outcomes, and community support.
• Barriers to full enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
• Why payers respond to penalties more than long-term value
• How lobbying, regulation and legal appeals weaken consumer protections
• Building political power by organizing families and breaking silos
• The business case for early intervention and recovery supports
• Why supportive housing and community services can beat revolving-door crisis care
• The 90-90-90 by 2033 framework for screening, evidence-based care and recovery
• Lessons from the Community Mental Health Act and the cost of dividing communities
• Moving from over-medicalized solutions to integration, purpose and connection
If you know someone who has a story to share, tell them to contact us at why notme.world.
INTRO/OUTRO Music: T. Wild
Mantor Music BMI
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intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild
Why Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsTony Mantor· Host0:00
[ on-hold music] Welcome to Why Not Me? Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide, hosted by Tony Mantor. Broadcasting from the heart of Music City, USA, Nashville, Tennessee. Join us as our guests share their raw, powerful stories. Some will spark laughter, others will move you to tears. These real-life journeys inspire, connect, and remind you that you're never alone. We're igniting a global movement to empower everyone to make a lasting difference by fostering deep awareness, unwavering acceptance, and profound understanding of autism and mental health. Tune in, be inspired, and join us in transforming the world one story at a time. Hi, I'm Tony Mantor. Welcome to Why Not Me? Embracing Autism and Mental Health Worldwide. Welcome to our special event, Crafting Justice: Empowering Autism and Mental Health Through Legislation. Joining us today is Patrick Kennedy, former US congressman and passionate advocate for mental health reform. With a legacy of groundbreaking legislation, including the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity