All our children should have medical, mental care access
Tragically, thousands of Connecticut children don’t have access to medical and mental health care — no diagnosis, no treatment, no medication. Because of their immigration status, these children don’t qualify for the state’s HUSKY program, which provides mental health and medical services to poor families. This is despite the legislature’s bipartisan decision to address the need for youth mental health services, which was reported by The Courant on March 15.
Connecticut’s children are facing an unprecedented increase in mental health problems. Melissa Santos, division chief of pediatric psychology at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, said: “The high rates of depression, one in four youth now experiencing symptoms of depression, one in five youth experiencing symptoms of anxiety, and perhaps most notably, which the advisory indicated we’re seeing here in Connecticut, is the number of kids ending up in the emergency room due to suicide attempts.” She goes on to state that racial and ethnic minority youth “are disproportionately impacted by mental health prior to the pandemic.”
As a mental health professional, I am alarmed at the preventable damage that is occurring among Connecticut’s children, including undocumented immigrant youth. We know that when mental health needs are not addressed, not only does this generation of children struggle, but future generations struggle, too. Mental health problems affect all aspects of life, such as performance in school, forming healthy relationships and maturing developmentally. Mental illness is painful not only to the child but also to all who love and care for them.
Connecticut can and must do better. Legislation enabling medical and mental health treatment through HUSKY for all income-eligible children, regardless of immigration status, is essential right now.
Last session, state legislators listened to medical professionals, the immigrant community and their allies when they passed legislation to open HUSKY to all children from birth to age 8, along with prenatal and postpartum care for pregnant women, in 2021. But what about older kids? Medical and mental health needs don’t disappear when a child turns 9. That’s why community groups are urging HUSKY access to age 18. Without HUSKY medical insurance, these kids won’t be able to receive the treatment that other Connecticut children get. And we are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis.
The issue of cost has been seen as an obstacle, but it is a false one. Undocumented immigrants pay $500 million in taxes yearly and only $10 million, 2% of that annual contribution, would cover the increase in HUSKY coverage to age 18. Clearly there is the money to support the HUSKY expansion.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy issued an advisory on youth mental health, saying, “Our obligation to act is not just medical — it’s moral. I believe that, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have an unprecedented opportunity as a country to rebuild in a way that refocuses our identity and common values, puts people first and strengthens our connections to each other.” As Murthy makes clear, we have an obligation to act to ensure that all Connecticut children have access to medical and mental health treatment.
Let’s put all of our children first. Let’s do what’s best for all of our children, families and communities and what’s best for our state. Let’s see Connecticut legislators use this legislative session to ensure this basic right by passing HUSKY for immigrants.