Putting children’s mental health first in Connecticut and beyond
Throughout my 40 years as a pediatrician, children and adolescents needing help with mental health were among the most difficult patients to help. Whether it was a very young child exposed to trauma, a 6-year-old with behavior issues at school, an adolescent with an eating disorder, a child on the Autism Spectrum, an adolescent struggling with substance abuse or myriad other issues, finding age appropriate, diagnosis specific and accessible mental health services was a constant challenge.
More and more Americans are experiencing mental health issues and we are finding that these issues are occurring earlier in young children. Connecticut’s children are not exempt and are amid a mental health crisis. Last October, in response to the data and this alarming trend, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health that has been further exacerbated by the pandemic.
Pediatricians are witnessing more cases of pediatric mental health issues, but it does not take a pediatrician to know that we are in a crisis — families in Connecticut are experiencing mental health issues regularly, and more families are seeking services to address mental health. Pediatricians and other medical professionals are here to provide care and referrals as needed; however, it is imperative that policymakers act to make services more available for children, adolescents and people in need.
I’m happy to see that Connecticut’s lawmakers have led the way. Thanks to the work of our state legislature and Gov. Ned Lamont, Connecticut took an important step to address mental health in this state. Connecticut’s lawmakers passed the bipartisan HB 5001 — “An Act Concerning Children’s Mental Health.”
HB 5001 provides crucial support to multiple areas within children’s mental health. First, it invests in workforce development, provides incentives for hiring mental health workers and expands access to out-of-state providers. The bill also establishes programs to promote delivery of in-school mental health services, including trainings for faculty and staff across all school districts.
By increasing the requirements of individual and group health insurers to cover mental health services, HB 5001 addresses long-existing systemic issues that have stymied access to preventive care. This provision undoubtedly improves mental health outcomes, especially among the most medically vulnerable groups.
Another excellent piece of this proposal is the expansion of the ACCESS Mental Health Program. As a member of the Medical Advisory Board from its inception, I can attest that these services have helped many children and families.
Lastly, as a retired primary care pediatrician, I am pleased to see this bill invest in ongoing education for pediatricians to develop skills to treat behavioral health issues in children and adolescents. This creates more avenues for children to access mental health services. Additionally, by increasing access to quality care and providing school and medical professionals with the tools they need, HB 5001 is a substantial improvement to the pediatric mental health care approach that is greatly needed at this pertinent moment.
I testified on the importance of this bill, and I now urge elected officials beyond Connecticut to take up similar legislation. The health and well-being of our nation’s children depends on it. Over 140,000 children across the country are experiencing severe illness including ongoing cases of long COVID. Sadly, many children have also lost a primary and/or secondary caregiver to COVID — with youth of color disproportionately impacted at a higher rate.
As a proud lifetime Connecticut resident, it has been heartening to see our state’s elected leaders work together to put children’s mental health first. I hope to see this legislation replicated in other states as children across the country seek compassion and care for their mental health.