Children's Hospital Addresses Mental Health Crisis

HARTFORD, CT — Representatives from a Hartford-based children's hospital are in the nation's capital this week to urge leaders to address what they're calling a "mental health emergency" in the nation's youth population.

Connecticut Children’s Medical Center mental health leaders joined other experts from children’s hospitals across the country in Washington, D.C., to call on Congress and the administration to comprehensively deal with the issue.

They are meeting with federal Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, congressional committees' leadership and other members of Congress.

The discussions come at a time when bipartisan mental health solutions are top of mind for many in Congress working to enhance support for children’s mental health.

It follows the Surgeon General’s advisory last year stressing the urgent need to address issues impacting children’s mental health.

Children’s hospital leaders are sharing frontline experiences of patients, families and staff and explain the resources still needed from congressional and HHS leaders.

“Connecticut Children’s has remained committed to educating and partnering with local and state groups to tackle the mental health crisis in our kids here at home. Unfortunately, the reality is we need everyone looking at this in order to implement meaningful, long-term solutions,” said Bob Duncan, Connecticut Children’s chief operating officer.\

One area of focus is on strengthening the pediatric behavioral health workforce, including community-based and professional resources.

For example, there is a need for funding for the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education program, which currently only receives half of the federal funding compared to the Medicare GME program.

Connecticut Children’s leaders also impressed upon lawmakers the urgency to act now and shared recent mental health statistics and "sobering challenges facing families."

For more information on Connecticut Children's, visit this link.

For more information on the Children's Hospital Association, visit this link.