Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force

Executive Order 13723--Establishing the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal

Notice of March 30, 2016--Continuation of the National Emergency With
Respect to South Sudan

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Title 3--
The President

Memorandum of March 29, 2016

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity
Task Force

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and
Agencies

My Administration has made behavioral health a priority
and taken a number of steps to improve the prevention,
early intervention, and treatment of mental health and
substance use disorders. These actions are especially
important in light of the prescription drug abuse and
heroin epidemic as well as the suicide and substance
use-related fatalities that have reversed increases in
longevity in certain populations. One important
response has been the expansion and implementation of
mental health and substance use disorder parity
protections to ensure that coverage for these benefits
is comparable to coverage for medical and surgical
care. The Affordable Care Act builds on the Paul
Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and
Addiction Equity Act to expand mental health and
substance use disorder benefits and Federal parity
protections for more than 60 million Americans. To
realize the promise of coverage expansion and parity
protections in helping individuals with mental health
and substance use disorders, executive departments and
agencies need to work together to ensure that Americans
are benefiting from the Federal parity protections the
law intends. To that end, I hereby direct the
following:

Section 1. Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder
Parity Task Force. There is established an interagency
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task
Force (Task Force), which will identify and promote
best practices for executive departments and agencies
(agencies), as well as State agencies, to better ensure
compliance with and implementation of requirements
related to mental health and substance use disorder
parity, and determine areas that would benefit from
further guidance. The Director of the Domestic Policy
Council shall serve as Chair of the Task Force.

(a) Membership of the Task Force. In addition to
the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, the Task
Force shall consist of the heads of the following
agencies and offices, or their designees:

(i) the Department of the Treasury;

(ii) the Department of Defense;

(iii) the Department of Justice;

(iv) the Department of Labor;

(v) the Department of Health and Human Services;

(vi) the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(vii) the Office of Personnel Management;

(viii) the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and

(ix) such other agencies or offices as the President may designate.

At the request of the Chair, the Task Force may
establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task
Force members or their designees under this section, as
appropriate.

(b) Administration of the Task Force. The
Department of Health and Human Services shall provide
funding and administrative support for the Task Force
to the extent permitted by law and within existing
appropriations.

Sec. 2. Mission and Functions of the Task Force. The
Task Force shall coordinate across agencies to:

(a) identify and promote best practices for
compliance and implementation;
(b) identify and address gaps in guidance,
particularly with regard to substance use disorder
parity; and
(c) implement actions during its tenure and at its
conclusion to advance parity in mental health and
substance use disorder treatment.

Sec. 3. Outreach. Consistent with the objectives set
out in section 2 of this memorandum, the Task Force, in
accordance with applicable law, shall conduct outreach
to patients, consumer advocates, health care providers,
specialists in mental health care and substance use
disorder treatment, employers, insurers, State
regulators, and other stakeholders as the Task Force
deems appropriate.

Sec. 4. Transparency and Reports. The Task Force shall
present to the President a report before October 31,
2016, on its findings and recommendations, which shall
be made public.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) The heads of agencies
shall assist and provide information to the Task Force,
consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to
carry out the functions of the Task Force.

(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed
to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the
head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent
with applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does
not, create any right or benefit, substantive or
procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any
party against the United States, its departments,
agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or
agents, or any other person.
(e) The Secretary of Health and Human Services is
authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in
the Federal Register.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, March 29, 2016