CHDI testifies on funding needs of children's behavioral health system in Connecticut
CHDI's President and CEO Jeff Vanderploeg, PhD, testified before the Connecticut General Assembly's Appropriations Committee last week, urging them to consider increased reimbursement rates and funding for behavioral health providers as well as greater investment in workforce development and system infrastructure.
Despite daunting challenges - insufficient funding, rising youth mental health needs, workforce shortages in the field - Vanderploeg noted that community-based behavioral health providers continue their work "because they care so much about meeting the needs of children and families. They are absolutely all in, completely and totally committed to doing whatever it takes. And they do it, year after year, against the odds."
He went on to provide three main recommendations for the committee to consider as they go through the budget process:
- Increase Medicaid rates from 62% of the peer state average to at least 100%.
- Address the 39% turnover rate in the behavioral health workforce by implementing recommendations from the State’s Behavioral Health Workforce Strategic Plan.
- Invest in additional data infrastructure to support our ability to measure and improve access to and quality of services, youth outcomes, and return on investment.
Watch Jeff's testimony on CT-N below (beginning at 4 minutes and 25 seconds):