Congressman Now Expands Access to Outpatient Mental Health Care for Children

The mental health crisis of children goes nowhere. Suicide has emerged as the second leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults, with only 20% of children suffering being cared for by professional health care providers, despite 80% of chronic mental illnesses beginning in childhood. And even fewer people receive follow-up care.

Vignesh Subramanian

On the contrary, a school in Connecticut Can’t meet Both the 250: 1 student-to-counselor ratio recommended by the American School Counselors Association and the 250: 1 student-to-social worker ratio recommended by the American School Social Work Association — the de facto forefront of mental health services. Lack of support in young people who allow less than 25% of diagnosed people to receive treatment there.

Incompatibilities between our school and the mental health care system are an urgent issue, especially in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that spotlights existing systemic disorders. The workload-related pressures exacerbated by the lack of social interaction exacerbated the underlying stress among students. Quarantine raises concerns about unaddressed anxiety and depression-related mental illness. Many children have been unable to escape from their families and homes for extended periods of time, making safeguards unavailable in schools and public places.

That’s why I worked with state legislative Will Haskel (D-26) to incorporate important provisions into this legislative assembly to address these gaps in the care pathway. Senate Bill No. 2A comprehensive proposal for child health and safety, officially approved by the Senate on May 5. This particular provision (Section 10) extends access to outpatient mental health care by removing the upper limit on the number of counseling sessions that minors can seek. Parental consent, allowing children in difficult family situations to maintain their privacy while using treatment services to address their critical needs.

Access to outpatient mental health care is especially important when parents can interfere with outreach to practitioners, or when providing information to parents can exacerbate factors. Some parents may completely reject the concept of a child talking to a mental health professional with concerns about the effects of stigma and prescription drugs. Patterns of abuse and conflict over sexual orientation in the home can also motivate children to look beyond direct caregivers for models of support and safety.

Vulnerable children who generally use treatment, as previously discovered by the State Children and Family Department and Connecticut Medicaid Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic Services Requires 6 or more sessions – Current cap – To reach their goals Overwhelming majority The breakdown of outpatient permit for minors is clearly related to mental health. Allowing minors to look for an unlimited number of outpatient counseling sessions provides accessibility to these clinical realities while continuing to conditionally inform parents of progress in diagnosis, recommendations, and treatment plans. Will match.

Children can often take advantage of expanded access by seeking compensation under CHIP, Medicaid, school planning, or external sponsorship. Depending on the insurance, minors may be guaranteed depression counseling and screening for interpersonal violence under affordable care practices at no additional cost. Digitally connected children can access care through telemedicine services and respond quickly to their symptoms. This is a viable alternative to physical visits when the reimbursement rate for behavioral office visits is low and the cost of late inpatient care is skyrocketing. Despite the remaining logistical hurdles, giving minors the discretion of this last resort further minimizes the number of people left to protect themselves for themselves. can do.

For young people who have exhausted all their options when it comes to seeking help, the gift of new access can make all the difference with just one other option. I urge Congressmen to pass Senate Bill No. 2 and uphold the state’s commitment to being an outstanding model of the availability of public health resources. Save your life.

Vignesh Subramanian lives in Wilton.

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