For over a decade, Pennsylvania counties have tried to work around a lack of state funding for vital mental health programs. Read more
“School counselors provide more than academic and career counseling – they also provide mental health services, helping our students to address their emotions in a healthy environment with someone who supports them,” Steele said. “Recently, the Basic Education Funding Commission issued its report, calling for additional investments in mental health services. With mental health deteriorating since the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly 65% of students asking for mental health services, we must ensure our youth have access to counseling services to help them succeed.” Read more
The School Counseling Services Act (H.B. 1665) would require schools to implement comprehensive counseling services that provide support to all students. It would also direct school counselors to spend at least 80% of their time providing direct and indirect services to students. Read more
State Rep. Mike Schlossberg said last week’s initial release of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows death by suicide increased again in 2022 in the United States. At least 49,449 people died due to intentional self-harm. This marks the highest number since the CDC started tracking this data in 1941. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 4 – State Rep. Mike Schlossberg issued the following statement following tonight’s state House passage of a Fiscal Code bill, which includes $100 million for mental health services. That amount is identical to legislation authored earlier this year by Schlossberg and which also passed the House, but was removed by the state Senate. “I am pleased the House reinstated our proposed $100 million for adult behavioral and mental health care services. This money was set aside in the 2022-23 budget. The plan for putting this money to use was established by the Commission on Adult Behavioral Health, which included members from the Senate and House of Representatives, along with leaders in the administration and stakeholders from across Pennsylvania. The plan has been thoroughly vetted. Our only remaining task is to put the money to use serving Pennsylvanians by strengthening our behavioral and mental health care system,” said Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, who serves as House Majority Caucus Chair. “The United States is in a mental health crisis. Suicide rates have climbed to record highs the past two years and have increased dramatically since the 1980s. Pennsylvania lost almost 1,900 people to suicide in 2022. Anxiety and depression are becoming more and more prevalent for people. In addition, substance use and addiction is claiming more and more lives each year. We cannot go on like Read more
With more than 2 million Pennsylvanians struggling with mental health issues, Pa. state Rep. Mike Schlossberg wants to know why the state Senate removed from the state budget $100 million in federal funding for adult based mental health. Schlossberg says with one in six Pennsylvanians in need of mental health resources, the state can't afford to lose this funding. Read more
HARRISBURG, July 5 – State Rep. Mike Schlossberg offered the following statement about the House of Representatives giving final passage to the 2023-24 state budget and sending it to the desk of Gov. Josh Shapiro: “This was not my preferred budget. But a yes vote was the correct one. With divided government, we need to govern. Governor Shapiro is correct: we need to send him a proposal which reflects our agreements and not let our disagreements hold up our obligation to govern responsibly. He also said very clearly that he will use his line-item veto power to veto the Senate’s voucher-scheme. I appreciate and trust Governor Shapiro’s leadership and voted to concur on the proposal knowing the voucher-scheme is going to be vetoed. Additionally, Parkland and Allentown students, families, and taxpayers will benefit as Pennsylvania’s commitment to those districts increases substantially,” said Schlossberg, the House Majority Caucus Chair. “Under the budget, the Parkland School District will see a $2.1 million increase in support from the commonwealth, which is a 13% increase over last year’s budget. Since I took office as state representative in 2013, Parkland has seen an 88% increase in support from Pennsylvania. The Allentown School District, thanks in part to the success of my Level Up initiative, will see an increase of $21.7 million, an increase of 11.7% over last year’s budget. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 7 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed legislation that would allocate $100 million in federal funding to address Pennsylvania’s mental health needs, according to the bill’s author, state Rep. Mike Schlossberg. “This money has been allocated. The uses have been thoroughly vetted. It’s time to get this money out the door to serve Pennsylvanians. I am grateful for the bipartisan support this legislation received and look forward to working with the Senate and Governor Josh Shapiro to get this done so we can get people the help they need,” said Schlossberg, D-Lehigh. Approximately 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. “We know the problems and we have solutions. It is time to get this money into programs that can help people who need it across our commonwealth,” Schlossberg said. 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 Read more
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