On Friday, the Children’s Mental Health Campaign held its eighth regional legislative forum on reform of the children’s mental health system. Several parents shared stories about their personal struggles to get help for their children. These parents are often frustrated by lack of resources and understanding on the part of schools, state agencies, and insurance companies. Following these testimonials about the need for reform, Representative Geraldine Creedon and Senator Robert Creedon had their names added to the list of 120 members of the legislature supporting reform legislation.
A Brockton Enterprise article provides a summary of the event.
Legislation that is supported by the Children’s Mental Health Campaign is still pending action by the Senate. S. 2518, An Act Relative To Children’s Mental Health, was sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee in February and has yet to be reported out. The bill would mandate early screenings for mental illness by pediatricians, provide resources to schools to help students living with mental illness, strengthen insurance protections for children and their families, and restructure state agencies to make the children’s mental health system easier to navigate. Senators need to hear from their constituents about the importance of this legislation and the need for it to be passed this session (click here to find contact information for your State Senator).
This coming Friday, June 27, the Children’s Mental Health Campaign will be holding another forum in Lowell from 8:30 -10 am at the MSPCC offices at 126 Phoenix Avenue. For more information or to RSVP, contact Matt Noyes, Children’s Health Coordinator with Health Care For All, at 617-275-2939 or mnoyes@hcfama.org.
Matt Noyes
