HB 5001: An Act Concerning Children's Mental Health Passes in House

April 28, 2022

In the House on Wednesday, we passed a historic bipartisan bill aimed at addressing the immediate, intermediate and long-term needs of the children's mental and behavioral health system in Connecticut, a priority during the 2022 legislative session.

HB 5001, An Act Concerning Children's Mental Health, is a transformative piece of legislation that responds directly to the youth mental health crisis, which has been exacerbated by the impacts of the pandemic, presenting itself in the form of increased rates of depression, suicide and self-harm among adolescents.

Emergency rooms across Connecticut are inundated with patients awaiting placement into inpatient psychiatric beds. Schools across the state are facing a shortage of mental health professionals and are sounding the alarm on the need to expand access and support services.

In short, this legislation addresses these issues immediately and long term by:

  • Enhancing the Behavioral Health Workforce
  • Supporting School-Based Mental Health Services
  • Expanding Mental Health Treatment Facilities Across the State
  • Supporting Existing Services
  • Increasing Access Through Insurance Coverage

The House has taken the first step, and now it’s up to the Senate to send HB 5001 to the governor’s desk for his signature. The time to deal with this issue is now.