In The News

California’s youngest children need more mental health support, advocates say in request for funding

By Elizabeth Aguilera

Excerpted from CalMatters

"While California has committed billions of dollars to support the mental health of K-12 students, little has been specifically dedicated to children 5 and younger.

Advocates say it’s a need that needs to be addressed, and they are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to set aside $250 million in the state budget to support the mental health of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents and caregivers.

Kids under 5 account for almost a quarter of all Medi-Cal recipients under 21 but do not receive a proportionate share of health and mental health care compared to older youth, according to Children Now, an advocacy organization focused on the health and welfare of California’s children. At least 43% of those children under 5 have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience. These experiences — including violence, abuse or neglect — have been connected to chronic illnesses later in life and death.

[...]

The advocates and some legislators are lobbying the Newsom administration to include the money in the revised budget, which is expected in May.

Democratic Sen. Josh Newman of Brea agreed the state has not focused enough attention on the mental health of the youngest children. As an added benefit, he said the state could save money in the long run by helping young children directly instead of later on when their challenges are more severe. 

“You can put a kid on the right path early and you end up with a healthy child and a productive citizen,” said Newman, who serves on the Senate Special Committee on Pandemic Response. “If we don’t do that we end up with fewer productive and healthy people.' " 

 

Read the full article here