More young people between 18 and 34 years of age are now living with their parents. The dearth of jobs, high cost of living, and postponement of marriage and children are several factors contributing to the trend. For some families, the arrangement is mutually beneficial and financially advantageous. For others, the arrangement can put a strain on parents’ finances.
Another major trend affecting families today are mental illness and substance use disorders. While behavioral health care has beenshown to be effective, only a small fraction of those suffering receive professional treatment. Changes in health care insurance with the passage of the Affordable Care Act(ACA) has left many parents wondering how to get their grown children covered and into treatment.
Many Americans qualify for health coverage under the ACA and don’t know it. No one can be denied care because of pre-existing mental illness or substance use disorders. This means that the majority of those who need addiction treatment should be able to receive it under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008, and both the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which together comprise the ACA.
Full story of the ACA’s role in addition treatment for children at drugfree.org