{"id":118743,"date":"2023-05-25T14:59:59","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T18:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=118743"},"modified":"2023-05-25T14:59:59","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T18:59:59","slug":"state-house-committee-oks-100m-for-pa-mental-health-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=118743","title":{"rendered":"State House committee OKs $100M for PA mental health needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

HARRISBURG \u2013 <\/strong>The state House Human Services Committee unanimously approved legislation today that would allocate $100 million in federal funding to address Pennsylvania\u2019s mental health needs, according to the bill\u2019s author state Rep. Mike Schlossberg.<\/p>\n

\u201cApproximately 1.7 million Pennsylvanians live in a community that does not have enough mental health professionals. In the last year, 98,000 kids between the ages of 12 and 17 have been diagnosed with depression, yet 57% of them were unable to receive any care. Five Pennsylvanians take their own life every day. The time for hearings and studies is over! We know the problems. We have solutions. It is time to act, and act swiftly,\u201d said Schlossberg, D-Lehigh.<\/p>\n

As part of the 2022-23 state budget, the General Assembly established the Behavioral Health Commission on Adult Mental Health, a 24-person group tasked with providing recommendations to the General Assembly on how to appropriate $100 million in one-time federal American Rescue Plan funding to address behavioral health needs in Pennsylvania. The commission, composed of experts in the behavioral health field, advocates and providers, as well as Schlossberg and other legislators, created a set of recommendations.<\/p>\n

Schlossberg\u2019s legislation would take the following recommendations from the commission and expand the efforts to address the needs of struggling youth:<\/p>\n