As we continue our national dialogue on health care reform, it is imperative that a discussion of mental health care be included. A first step is eliminating disparities in reimbursement between medical care and mental health care. However, this expansion of mental health services alone will not encompass the large unmet needs of the uninsured and the poor. It is time to make a public investment in mental health care and to view it as a human right— a moral entitlement and a universal right.
Declaration of interest: The author reports no conflict of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of this paper.