Lawmakers work to improve child mental health services

OLYMPIA — The Early Learning and Human Services Committee recently heard testimony on a bill meant to increase access to mental health services for children and youth.

The bill, HB 2439, would establish a work group to review barriers to identifying and treating mental health issues in children, with a focus on ages 0-5. The group would report to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2016.

Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, is a co-sponsor of the bill.

“We need to analyze what we can do to help our young people,” Dent said. “Give them the help they need so they don’t have to suffer this mental illness all of their life.”

HB 2439 would also direct Health Care Authority and the Department of Social and Health Services to identify and report problems with access to behavioral health services for children and youth. The bill would additionally require medical assistance programs to cover screenings and provider payments for depression for children ages 11 to 21.

Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Seattle, is the primary sponsor of the bill.

“I think everyone recognizes that the crisis we’re seeing in our adult mental health system starts much earlier,” said Kagi. “If we can really build them the supports early on to address those problems when they first appear, we can prevent a horrible burden.”

Nina Auerbach, executive director, Washington Association for Infant Mental Health, said during the hearing that the mental health issues start younger than people may think.

She said between 9 and 14 percent of children younger than 5 have emotional and behavioral problems that might need intervention. For this reason, Auerbach supported the focus on children ages 0-5.

Dent said the bill will probably not be passed in its present form. He said he appreciated the input from the person who testified against the bill, and would try to incorporate his suggestions into an amendment.

Steven Pierce, director of Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Seattle, testified in opposition to the bill.

Pierce said an increase in psychiatric drugging of children would result from the increased screening for depression. He said the bill should include language to limit the amount of psychiatric medication given to kids.

Pierce also said he was concerned that the screening process would come up with false positive diagnoses for depression. He said false positives are common with these types of screening.

This bill is scheduled for executive session on Jan. 27.