Mental Health Justice
Because mental healthcare is as important as physical healthcare and both should be affordable for everyone.
What We Believe
We believe that our government is responsible for providing free, accessible, and quality mental health services that allow each person living with mental illness to live their lives with dignity and joy and with as much independence as they choose.
What We Will Do
- Build public and political support for Medicare for All by exposing the profit-driven private insurance system and supporting community members in overturning health insurance denials via the Care Over Cost campaign with People’s Action
- Monitor and support the Treatment Not Trauma campaign to expand public mental health access and ensure mental health professionals respond to people in mental health crisis instead of armed police
What We Have Done
Won an unfair claim denial reversal for a member of our community. In August 2022, twenty ONE Northside Mental Health Justice leaders and allies rallied at the corporate office of Centene, the parent corporation of Ambetter Insurance, and demanded justice for one of our community members, Erin. She had been unjustly billed $999 for a routine, in-network blood test.
Leaders called on Ambetter to end its practice of denying claims for in-network care and delivered 1,600 signed petitions in support of Erin and her bill. Protestors were locked out of the building by security and chanted, “Health insurance is a lie, they don’t care if people die!” as they confronted security. Mental Health Justice core team leader Chloe also called out Senators Durbin and Duckworth for their refusal to co-sponsor Medicare for All, telling the crowd, “We need members of congress who know that the only way forward is to take profit out of healthcare.” As a result of this campaign, Ambetter reprocessed Erin’s claims and billed her for the correct, affordable amount.