About ECAT

ECAT stands for Equal Coverage for Addiction Treatment. The new website was developed by Caron Treatment Centers, The Betty Ford Center and Research Society on Alcoholism to call for parity of addiction treatment and empower Americans to reach out to their legislators and local media about the importance of this issue. Many highly distinguished programs such as Caron Treatment Centers and Betty Ford believe in a treatment process of 30 days or more for best results, but many insurance companies do not cover such comprehensive treatment. The Parity Bill (The Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act of 2005 H.R. 1402), sponsored by by U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN) and U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), calls for equal coverage of mental health , including addiction. It would entitle all Americans the proper care they need to work and lead normal, healthy lives. The Parity Bill is currently stalled in Congress.

YOU Can Make A Difference

In order for the Parity Bill to be debated and voted upon in Congress, there must be a majority of Congressional support for this legislation. By letting your representatives and local news organizations know how important the Parity Bill is to you and all Americans, you will make a difference and gather support for this very important legislation! Simply locate the "Get Involved" link and choose to "Contact Congress" and/or "Contact Media". You will be able to send a letter or message of support for the Parity Bill which will go directly to your representative or media contact. Let your voice be heard contact Congress and the media today and MAKE A DIFFERENCE for all Americans to have parity with health insurance coverage.

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Protect America's Kids from Alcohol

Over 5,000 young people die each year from alcohol-related causes - a sobering problem. Meanwhile, most elected leaders, influenced by alcohol industry lobbyists and contributions, have done little to prevent this tragedy. It's time to address this problem with proven polices that curb underage drinking. Learn more

The Institute of Medicine recommends science-based policies that work. Join Together wants to make those policies a reality. Tell politicians that it's time to Get Serious about alcohol policies that save kids' lives. Sign the Get Serious petition.

Send this petition to:

Your Governor
Your State Legislative Representatives

I'm concerned about underage drinking. The time has come to get serious about this issue and adopt policies that protect our children.

I support common-sense, research-based measures that will help reduce underage drinking, including:

Increasing alcohol prices through taxes, particularly on beer;
Limiting alcohol advertising and marketing targeted at young people;
Implementing a national media campaign that counters alcohol industry messages and uses social marketing to affect attitudes and behavior;
Adopting and enforcing laws to prevent alcohol-related deaths and injuries among young people;
Promoting alcohol free events for kids;
Expanding counseling and support for kids, especially those with addicted parents.

These and other measures are recommended by The Institute of Medicine: http://www.jointogether.org/IOM

I strongly urge you to make these policies a priority at the state and local level. Thank you.

Signed by:
[Your name]
[Your address]

Sign this Petition

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