Dr. Mike Trangle

Yes, it has gotten better. We now have much stronger lobbying. And I think in some ways, the strongest lobbying for sure in Minnesota is NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, mainly composed of folks that are family members. And they've been empowered and have done a superb job of speaking up about those issues. I may have a little vested interest.

Yes, it has gotten better. We now have much stronger lobbying. And I think in some ways, the strongest lobbying for sure in Minnesota is NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, mainly composed of folks that are family members. And they've been empowered and have done a superb job of speaking up about those issues. I may have a little vested interest.

I've been on the board of NAMI for a while, but even before it, I was admiring them and stuff and speaking out. And the other kind of powerhouse nationally, a little less so in Minnesota, but up and coming, is nationally it's the Mental Health Association, which is composed in some sense with a higher proportion of people with lived experience, as well as others that are interested parties.

I've been on the board of NAMI for a while, but even before it, I was admiring them and stuff and speaking out. And the other kind of powerhouse nationally, a little less so in Minnesota, but up and coming, is nationally it's the Mental Health Association, which is composed in some sense with a higher proportion of people with lived experience, as well as others that are interested parties.

Here, the chapter in Minnesota is called Mental Health Minnesota. Renamed, but also sort of, they're finding that people listen to them and seek them out and are more interested like in Mental Health Minnesota in the old days doing surveys. What do you think?

Here, the chapter in Minnesota is called Mental Health Minnesota. Renamed, but also sort of, they're finding that people listen to them and seek them out and are more interested like in Mental Health Minnesota in the old days doing surveys. What do you think?

There are ambassadors who can speak to the experience to both in different chapters throughout the state and let people know whether it's county employees or mental health providers. There are advisory groups that are getting more potency. And it's really important that that happens.

There are ambassadors who can speak to the experience to both in different chapters throughout the state and let people know whether it's county employees or mental health providers. There are advisory groups that are getting more potency. And it's really important that that happens.

So let me just dig into it here. So in 1996, more than a few years ago, in the federal level, there was a Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act that was passed. It took Congress more than 10 years to actually come up with rules of how are they going to define it and how they were going to try and see if anything happened.

So let me just dig into it here. So in 1996, more than a few years ago, in the federal level, there was a Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act that was passed. It took Congress more than 10 years to actually come up with rules of how are they going to define it and how they were going to try and see if anything happened.

You know, and then they came up with rules that sat on a shelf and nobody noticed. Then in 2008, this is where Wellstone and Domenici came up and they passed the, what was it technically called? The MHPAEA, very, very sexy title, but Mental Health Parity and Addiction Enforcement Act, you know? And came up with stricter kinds of things to try and enforce it. And it also didn't get enforced.

You know, and then they came up with rules that sat on a shelf and nobody noticed. Then in 2008, this is where Wellstone and Domenici came up and they passed the, what was it technically called? The MHPAEA, very, very sexy title, but Mental Health Parity and Addiction Enforcement Act, you know? And came up with stricter kinds of things to try and enforce it. And it also didn't get enforced.

Like a year and a half ago, two years ago, they did an audit, which was a joint audit, looking at health plans and seeing if they were actually complying with the treating mental health issues and substance use disorder issues equally, and found that no health plans did in the nation. This was a joint study done by Department of Labor, HHS, and what was the other department?

Like a year and a half ago, two years ago, they did an audit, which was a joint audit, looking at health plans and seeing if they were actually complying with the treating mental health issues and substance use disorder issues equally, and found that no health plans did in the nation. This was a joint study done by Department of Labor, HHS, and what was the other department?

I don't know, it's in my notes here, but there were three, labor, health and human services, and commerce, that's the other one. And basically no health plans were doing it. It still wasn't being enforced. Minnesota came up with a law that got passed and also isn't being enforced much.

I don't know, it's in my notes here, but there were three, labor, health and human services, and commerce, that's the other one. And basically no health plans were doing it. It still wasn't being enforced. Minnesota came up with a law that got passed and also isn't being enforced much.

You know, Minnesota got a grant maybe three, four years ago, a one-time grant to hire somebody to try and look at enforcing parity. And the first thing they found out, this was through the Department of Commerce, was that nobody even knew that Commerce was involved. We all fought to complain or let them know if there were problems or issues.

You know, Minnesota got a grant maybe three, four years ago, a one-time grant to hire somebody to try and look at enforcing parity. And the first thing they found out, this was through the Department of Commerce, was that nobody even knew that Commerce was involved. We all fought to complain or let them know if there were problems or issues.

And with this dedicated person, they started getting the word out there and they started getting some complaints and we're now seeing some, and then that grant went away. So the dedicated temporary kind of person to work on that went away.

And with this dedicated person, they started getting the word out there and they started getting some complaints and we're now seeing some, and then that grant went away. So the dedicated temporary kind of person to work on that went away.