From the very beginning, ACA was controversial and the topic of heated political debate at both state and national levels. This book examines more closely how the legislation was developed, including the political history of the act; the many advocacy efforts at the national level and the community-based action strategies at the grassroots level; how ACA will affect a broad cross-section of America; the integration of health and behavioural health services as a key component of ACA; the financing of ACA and parity for behavioural health services. This book was originally published as a special issue of the .