CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE ACTS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Passes legislation to help ensure students, families and educators can access the mental health services they need
(Washington, D.C.) — Today, Congressman Joe Morelle voted to strengthen mental health resources for students and families by passing the Mental Health Matters Act. This legislation will help meet the increased demand for mental health services in schools across the country and ensure students have access to the support they need.
“These are challenging times, and it’s critical that we prioritize our collective mental health—especially for young people who may be struggling,” said Congressman Morelle. “The Mental Health Matters Act will help break down barriers preventing families from accessing critical mental health services and enhance in-school resources to better support students. This is an important step forward in meeting the healthcare needs of our community, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue uplifting families.”
A 2016 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found one out of every six children in the U.S. had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder. Unfortunately, many mental health problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic—as of last year, 44 percent of students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. The Mental Health Matters Act addresses this increased demand for mental health services at all levels of education and helps cut down many of the unnecessary barriers currently preventing families from receiving mental health benefits.
Specifically, this legislation will:
- Create grant programs to increase the number of mental health professionals in schools, with an emphasis on elementary and secondary schools in high-need areas;
- Incentivize schools to recruit and retain school-based mental health service providers;
- Strengthen the ability of families with private, employer-sponsored health and retirement plans to hold their plan sponsors accountable when they are improperly denied benefits for mental health services;
- And many other provisions to strengthen school-based behavioral healthcare and ensure access to mental health and substance abuse disorder services for workers and families.
For more information on the Mental Health Matters Act, read the full text of the bill here.