Haley Rhodes

Haley is entering her final year of law school with a focus on working at the intersection of mental health, disability, and the law. Having lived with treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder and undergone Deep Brain Stimulation surgery, Haley is passionate about dismantling barriers to insurance coverage and expanding access to the protections of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).

Her legal research centers on challenges to MHPAEA implementation and the ways in which mental health bias can become embedded in federal law and insurance practices. Haley is particularly interested in using legal frameworks to advance equitable access to mental health care.

In addition to her legal work, She has a background in clinical and research psychology. Haley has worked as a research assistant, conducted independent research on OCD and premature birth, and supported young children in an intensive outpatient setting.

Outside of her professional work, Haley runs an Instagram account, where she shares her experiences with OCD, chronic illness, and Deep Brain Stimulation. She also volunteers with the mental health nonprofit Not Alone Notes. Through her advocacy, Haley aims to reduce stigma, normalize seeking therapy, and highlight the possibility of meaningful, successful lives alongside serious mental illness.