A bipartisan group of senators and representatives introduced the Early Action and Responsiveness Lifts Youth Minds Act, according to a Feb. 28 news release from California Sen. Alex Padilla.
The legislation would allow states to direct up to 5% of the mental health block grants they receive toward prevention and early intervention services for children. Currently, this funding is limited to services for individuals with severe mental illness.
The legislation is backed by several mental health groups, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association.
Separate legislation introduced in February would require an independent organization to assess mental healthcare provided by the Veterans Affairs department. A bipartisan group of senators introduced the Veterans Mental Health and Addiction Therapy Quality of Care Act, according to a Feb. 26 news release from Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet.
The bill would require an outside organization to compare mental and behavioral healthcare veterans receive inside the VA system and outside it, and identify gaps in coordination between VA and external providers.
The bill was previously introduced in 2023, according to the release. It is backed by the American Psychological Association, Disabled American Veterans Association and the Veteran Health Care Policy Initiative.