New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
State Senate OKs $25M kids’ mental-health bill
HARTFORD — The state Senate on Friday overwhelmingly approved a wide-ranging $25 million legislative initiative to address the mental health issues that have emerged in Connecticut’s children during the pandemic, including depression, anxiety and developmental delays.
The bipartisan legislation, which was redrafted Friday morning to include several Republican initiatives and includes budget proposals made by Gov. Ned Lamont, next heads to the House of Representatives. If signed into law it will mandate an expansion of services in pediatrician offices as well.
The bill passed 33-1, with conservative Sen.
Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, the lone opponent.
The bill includes new mobile units available around-the-clock assignments to schools throughout the state; new funding to treat trauma within the client base of the Department of Children and Families; mental health assessments and goals for high school athletes; job funding that had been proposed by Senate Republicans
to help the employment pipeline; and a UConn study on the mental health effects of social media and computer use.
“We’re looking at a comprehensive strategy of making sure that child care remains a robust industry in our state,” said Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, co-chairman of the legislative Children’s Committee, who explained the dozens of sections of the bill.
“To the parents: we hear you,” said Anwar, a physician. “We are doing this because we want to make sure that our children, your children are safe and well. And to the children: Know that your power that you have and the love that people in our state have for you is significant, that every single person with all different perspectives, views and people who passionately disagree on different things agree on showing their love to you.”
It is companion legislation to a separate bill containing the proposed expansion of mental health services in schools that is awaiting action in the Senate, as well as a related bill in the House. In all, the trio of bills will be worth about $200 million.
Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, one of the chief advocates this year for expanded programming, especially with the flow of federal pandemic relief funding into the state, said it was a major goal for lawmakers this year.
“I believe everybody can recognize that the past two years, under COVID, has been very difficult, but where we can really see it exacerbated is in the area of mental health,” Kelly said during the Senate’s afternoon debate. “It’s an important issue that we
recognize not only about those individuals involved, but as a community and a society recognizing that this is an issue that deserves our attention.”
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, and Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, DNew Haven, agreed that mental health issues are a major focal point of the 2022 session, which ends at midnight on May 4. “This is not a Democratic issue,” he said. “It’s not a Republican issue. It’s an issue that impacts literally every single community in the state of Connecticut.”
“We know there is a treatment gap,” Looney said, pointing out the need for the mobile units.
“There are many times when there are acute episodes that young people are having and the parents are desperate and at a loss to get some professional counseling and care and assistance when they feel inadequate to deal with the situation.”
Isolation, alienation and untreated mental health problems and obstacles to care have become more obvious in the pandemic, Looney said, noting that in urban high schools, many athletes have dropped out because canceled seasons gave them little reason to attend school.
State Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, a top GOP lawmakers on both the legislative Insurance and Public Health committees, said the huge, expensive bill that is a major legislative priority and a “testament” to the state’s parents.
“There will be people that will criticize this for its cost,” Hwang said.
“And the cost is an important consideration. But to me, the cost is outweighed by the importance of mental health for our younger generation. COVID has created such an untenable burden on that community. The masking dilemma, the challenge of having their lives turned upside down that is beyond their control. Our children have suffered immeasurable challenges during this COVID pandemic.”
Also included is an increase in the number of kids that family daycare providers can host, from the current six to nine. Another provision from six kids to nine. The state Office of Early Childhood would also expanded staff under the legislation.
The state Department of Consumer Protection would also be ordered to develop guidelines for the safe story of cannabis and prescription drugs. Hospice programs in private homes would also be required to safely dispose of drugs.
“We recognize that mental health care is part of health care,” said Sen.
Will Haskell, D-Westport, noting that more social workers would become available for children, as well as expanded telehealth counseling services.