Let’s Face It: Meet Corey “Pheez” Lee
Corey’s story was recently highlighted by NBC. Watch the powerful feature on Instagram. Corey Lee, better known as Pheez, is a hip-hop artist, Navy veteran, father, husband, homeowner, podcast host, and advocate for people with disabilities. But behind that list of accomplishments is a journey marked by hardship, overcoming, and personal transformation. Born in Hartford […]
Let’s Face It: Meet Julia DiCola
At 68 years old, Julia DiCola is living proof that it’s never too late to become who you truly are. A proud transgender woman, community advocate, and founder of OurTransLife, Julia began her transition at 57, an age when many people are looking toward retirement, not reinvention. But for Julia, embracing her authentic identity wasn’t […]
Let’s Face It: Meet Evelyn Alejandro
For Evelyn Alejandro, mental health isn’t just a topic, it’s a journey she’s lived. A business owner based in Connecticut, Evelyn has experienced firsthand the ripple effects of silence and stigma within families. Today, she shares her story not to dwell on the past, but to help others see that healing is possible, and that […]
Let’s Face It: Meet David Haberfeld
A landlord by trade, David has witnessed a wide range of human experiences, including housing instability, addiction, loneliness, and hoarding, some of which he has also encountered within his own family. His father lived for decades with an undiagnosed hoarding disorder. “It’s something you don’t really notice all at once,” David says. “Looking back, the […]
Let’s Face It: Meet Mimi Gonzalez
An award-winning social impact strategist, mental health advocate, LinkedIn influencer, and founder of griefsense, Mimi Gonzalez is reshaping how we talk about grief and mental health, especially in the workplace. To get here, Mimi has gone through a deeply personal journey through grief, identity, and the radical act of living with intention. “I’ve lost 36 […]
Let’s Face It: Mental Health Awareness Isn’t at the Finish Line
By: Bethany Simmonds I hear it all the time: “People can talk about their mental health now.” “Mental health awareness has been achieved.” “We all have mental health problems.” But what do we really mean by talking? By awareness? By problem? And more importantly, is the current level of awareness truly enough? Yes, mental […]
A Call to Action: Addressing Connecticut’s Behavioral Health Parity Crisis
Recent national events have illuminated frustrations and systemic issues within our healthcare system, including disparities in insurance coverage that make access difficult. These challenges are particularly significant in Connecticut, especially regarding behavioral health services. Thousands throughout our state are denied access to services due to insufficient coverage and poor enforcement of parity laws, so it […]
Make Your Voice Heard by Voting
At Mental Health Connecticut, we believe individual advocacy is the foundation of collective progress. Voting is a crucial way to advocate for the issues that matter most to us—like mental health. Participation in our democracy goes beyond selecting leaders; it’s about advocating for policies that foster the well-being of ourselves and our communities. Election Day […]
MHC Legislative Accomplishments
This legislation requires health carriers to report on their processes for assessing mental health and substance use disorder benefits compared to medical and surgical benefits. It also mandates that non quantitative treatment limitations on mental health and substance use disorder benefits must be comparable to those on medical and surgical benefits. Additionally, it prohibits individual […]
MHC’s President and CEO, Luis Perez Joined Gary Stock From Wellmore Behavioral Health and Leadership & The CT Community Nonprofit Alliance For a Virtual Press Conference
Mental Health Connecticut’s (MHC) President and CEO, Luis Perez joined Gary Stock from Wellmore Behavioral Health and Leadership and the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance for a virtual press conference on Monday, 6/14 at 11:30 a.m. to talk about the urgent need for increased funding for mental health and substance abuse in the budget. Watch the press […]
