Children’s mental health must remain a priority
The 2022 state legislative session was dominated by one issue above all others — children’s mental health. A bipartisan group of lawmakers came together to pass a package of laws aimed at increasing access to services, reducing costs and removing barriers to availability. It was a welcome sign that lawmakers can accomplish big things when they put their mind to it.
But no one should be under the impression that the job is done.
The issue came to a head mostly as a result of the (still-ongoing) COVID-19 pandemic. The outset of the coronavirus scare saw schools closed and activities canceled for months, with many children cut off from all social life outside their homes. The effect on the mental health of so many was predictably serious.
It’s been years now since those restrictions have been lifted, and school has long since been fully back in person. But the effects have lingered and, in some cases, worsened.
Children are, understandably, worried about getting sick. Many have lost loved ones to COVID, or are facing drastically different home situations. Whatever the cause, wait times at emergency rooms are up across the state, and authorities have reported much higher numbers of children in need of services.
The barriers are manifold. In some cases, it’s a lack of providers. Sometimes the issue is physical space — there simply aren’t beds available. Insurance complications pose a major stumbling block, if the people in need even have insurance. And always there is red tape, where what would seem like a simple problem takes months of administrative action (or inaction) to get anything done.
Clearly, there is more to be done.
Legislators, to their credit, appear to be aware of the ongoing problem, and started off this year’s legislative session with an acknowledgment that last year’s accomplishments aren’t the end of the story.
Leaders of the Assembly’s education and children’s committees said they plan to focus on mental health as well as more support for educators and preventing crimes against children. The work is going beyond students and schools, with a broader look at how problems develop and how they can be headed off before they degenerate into something more serious.
A corresponding issue concerns teachers, who are facing shortages of their own and severe institutional burnout. With educators overworked and students in greater need than ever, it’s to be expected that some cases will fall through the cracks. Help for both students and educators could help ensure that those cases are kept to a minimum, and assistance is available for anyone in need.
The General Assembly does not lack for important issues this year. There’s an understandable tendency to consider some issues settled, and move onto other pressing needs that have not had the benefit of major legislation in recent years.
There’s time for other issues, of course, but the needs of children are not fading. Mental health is more widely recognized as a matter of utmost seriousness than it was in generations past, which puts the onus on everyone to ensure those needs are met. Lawmakers must see that their focus remains where it needs to be.
Legislators, to their credit, appear to be aware of the ongoing problem, and started off this year’s legislative session with an acknowledgment that last year’s accomplishments aren’t the end of the story.