The Lt. Governor wants a number of changes aimed at improving the treatment of depression among women in Wisconsin. A special task force set up by Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton is offering several proposals to improve mental health services for women suffering from depression. Lawton says those recommendations cover a wide variety of areas and agencies, and clearly can't happen all at once. But the main priority of the task force is pushing for legislation that gives insurance parity for mental health treatments. Lawton says several recommendations would become “null and void” if the legislature passed parity legislation.
Those suffering from depression are seven times more likely to be unemployed or under employed. Lawton says that's unfortunate because many of those problems can be treated and taken care, if Wisconsinites can afford the coverage. Lawton plans to push for mental health insurance parity in the next legislative session.