Congressman Dan Goldman Fights to Protect Children’s Mental Health
Children Nationwide Suffering from Increased Levels of Mental Illness After the COVID-19 Pandemic
‘Helping Kids Cope Act’ Would Invest in Pediatric Behavioral Health Care and Community-Based Mental Health Programs
Read the Bill Here
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) to introduce the bipartisan ‘Helping Kids Cope Act’ to support pediatric behavioral health care initiatives and community-based programs in the face of the growing pediatric mental health crisis. The bill would authorize grants to improve the coordination and integration of pediatric behavioral health services across the country.
"The COVID-19 pandemic took a significant toll on our children’s wellbeing,” Congressman Goldman said.“When our children suffer, our country suffers. We have an obligation to address the damage COVID-19 did to our children’s mental health, an undertaking that will only get more difficult the longer we wait, by ensuring that every child has access to the care they need during this critical period in their life.”
The Helping Kids Cope Act will increase children’s access to care via telehealth treatment, crisis responses, behavioral health urgent care centers in children’s hospitals and advocacy centers – especially those in under-resourced communities. Further, grants would improve the collection of demographic data on adolescents’ mental health needs to identify gaps in children’s access to care as well as support members of the pediatric behavioral health workforce by providing funding for training and other workforce innovations.
Earlier this year, Congressman Goldman supported the 'Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act' to provide grants for mental health professionals who are fluent in a language other than English.
The Congressman also cosponsored the ‘SNAP Access for Medically Vulnerable Children Act’ to expand SNAP benefits for families with chronically sick children, helping to alleviate the tremendous emotional and financial struggles involved with caring for sick children.
Congressman Dan Goldman is also a founding member of the Congressional Dads Caucus.
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