Posted on February 22, 2017
HARTFORD – State Representative Kathleen McCarty (R-38), who held several mental health awareness forums that recognized Connecticut’s current opioid addiction crisis during her first term, testified yesterday before the Legislature’s Committee on Children to support mental, emotional and behavioral health services.
The legislation supported by Rep. McCarty is House Bill 812, which would require the Commissioner of Children and Families to collaborate with the Department of Public Health and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the development of an implementation plan for meeting the mental, emotional and behavioral health needs of children.
Please see Rep. McCarty’s testimony below.
Rep. McCarty accepts a leadership award from Jennifer Gross, Executive Director of the Eastern Regional Mental Health Board, at the board’s 2016 annual meeting.
Dear Chairmen Moore, Suzio, Urban, Ranking Member Zupkus and distinguished members of the Committee on Children.
Thank you for this opportunity to submit written testimony on the Committee on Children’s Raised Bill No. 812. AN ACT CONCERNING MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN.
Even though Connecticut is considered a leading state in the identification of mental health needs, and the provision of mental health services for its population, children with mental health and behavioral challenges are one of the most underserved populations in Connecticut, as well as our nation. The average delay between onset of mental health symptoms and intervention is eight to ten years (Access Mental Health).
Raised Bill No. 812 enhances the current comprehensive implementation plan for meeting the mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs of children by fostering even greater collaboration and cooperation between the Department of Children and Families, Department of Public Health, and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Raised Bill No. 812 will assist in identifying children who are in need of or who are currently being served by mental, emotional, and behavioral services by developing an early intervention program through collaboration between the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Public Health.
Furthermore, this bill requests that the Department of Children and Families collaborate with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to develop strategies to coordinate the delivery of mental health care to children and providing notification to such children’s parents and guardians regarding mental health services.
Early identification of and intervention for children in need of mental, emotional, and behavioral needs coupled with the notification to their parents of the availability of mental health services in our state are important steps to improving the mental health and well-being of the children in the state of Connecticut.
Raised Bill No. 812 is a comprehensive bill that fosters inter-agency collaboration and cooperation in order to meet the needs of the mental, emotional, and behavioral needs of the state’s children.
I am in strong support of Raised Bill No. 812 and I thank the Committee on Children for raising this important bill. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of Raised Bill No. 812.
Sincerely yours,
Kathleen M. McCarty
State Representative, 38th District
Waterford, Montville