Georgia Parity Collaborative


During the 2022 state legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly voted unanimously to pass the landmark House Bill 1013, better known as the Mental Health Parity Act, ensuring that public and private health insurance plans cover behavioral health equitably with physical health. ​ Since 2020, The Carter Center Mental Health Program has led the Georgia Parity Collaborative, a coalition of over 40 statewide and national organizations working to advance parity while educating policymakers, communities, and members of the media. Today, the Collaborative continues to monitor implementation of the parity provisions in House Bill 1013 with state agencies and evaluate the impact of this significant policy change. ​
Georgia Parity Collaborative

Mission: To advance mental health parity in Georgia through coordinated advocacy, consumer and policymaker education, and policy reform, ensuring equitable access to behavioral health services.​

Strategic Priorities:​


Advance Legislative Engagement for Parity​
  • Engage with policymakers about the ongoing importance of parity and provide timely updates and analysis on the status of parity implementation and opportunities to strengthen enforcement mechanisms. ​
  • Inform and influence parity-related legislation to strengthen accountability levers for insurers and promote enforcement by state agencies.​
  • Promote transparency and data reporting requirements to monitor compliance and identify systemic gaps. ​

Increase Public Awareness and Education​
  • Conduct targeted outreach to key stakeholder groups—including consumers, business owners, and benefits administrators—to raise awareness of parity rights, compliance, and the complaint submission process.​ ​
  • Develop and disseminate consumer-friendly educational materials and toolkits to empower individuals and organizations to advocate for parity.​

Strengthen State Agency Collaboration and Oversight​
  • Work closely with the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) and the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire/Department of Insurance (OCI) to hold insurers accountable for noncompliance with federal and state parity laws.​ ​
  • Encourage interagency coordination to improve enforcement, data sharing, and public reporting. ​

Georgia State Capitol building

Chairs of the Georgia Parity Collaborative

  • Georgians for a Healthy Future
  • The Carter Center

Collaborative Members

  • Atlanta Behavioral Health Advocates​
  • Autism Speaks ​
  • Caring Across Generations ​
  • Family Ties Enterprises, Inc.​
  • Georgia Advocacy Office​
  • Georgia Alliance of Therapeutic Services (GATS)​
  • Georgia Parent Support Network​
  • Hillside, Inc.​
  • Legal Action Center​
  • Parent Education for Exceptional Children ​
  • Georgia Psychological Association
If you would like to join the Georgia Parity Collaborative, please review the guidelines of the collaborative and complete this form: Georgia Parity Collaborative Membership Sign-On