HARTFORD - Senator Tony Hwang (R-28), as ranking member of both the Public Health and Insurance Committees, joined his Senate Republican colleagues to present a package of legislative proposals to address the state's mental health care crisis and provide support to children, mothers, families, and the mental health workforce.
The proposal includes policies to:
- Increase access to mental health care
- Support the mental health workforce
- Address the youth mental health crisis
- Improve screening and support for maternal mental health
“The mental health crisis spans the entire state’s population, and it especially affects our youth. Using the December 2021 report from U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy:emergency department visits in 2021 show a 51% increase in the visits connected to attempted suicide for adolescent women. The report added that, at present, 25% of our youth are experiencing some form of depression and 20% are facing challenges relating to anxiety - that is DOUBLE what those numbers were pre-pandemic. We have a mental health crisis,” said Sen. Hwang.
“Heartbreaking stories of crippling and devastating effects on mental health throughout the pandemic have been well documented beyond the compelling statistics. We saw real life losses and we need to act now as an active legislative body to prevent future tragedies,” continued Sen. Hwang.
Specific proposals include:
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Make telehealth permanent, especially for mental health
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Support the Mental Health Workforce by establishing a tuition reimbursement program
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Increase Mental Health Availability for Children.
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Conduct Social Media Impact Study.
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Introduce Family Care Coordinators at CT Schools.
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Prioritize Maternal Mental Health via Postpartum Screening & Support
Click to read the full plan with policy rationale and details: https://ctsenaterepublicans.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mental-Health-2022.pdf
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_AiFtYUbIS8