U.S. Congresswoman Marge Roukema, R-N.J.-5th, will address insurance coverage for mental health care at 2:30 p.m., Monday, February 1, at NewBridge Services, 1801 Greenwood Lake Turnpike, West Milford. Roukema will be the keynote speaker at an open house held to mark the organization's expansion into northern Passaic County.

"As a society, we are still struggling to acknowledge that mental illness is a real sickness in need of medical care," Roukema said. "Mental illness is not a character flaw, but a tangible, treatable health problem as real as hypertension, cancer or heart disease. Today, the advances of our medical system have given us scientific breakthroughs that make appropriate mental health care as effective as insulin for a diabetic."

Roukema is the sponsor of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Act, comprehensive legislation requiring health insurance companies to establish parity between mental health and substance abuse coverage and coverage for physical illnesses and injury. She is also the sponsor of legislation creating a congressional Mental Health Advisory Committee.

NewBridge is a non-profit agency providing behavioral health care services.