Rep. Galloway’s Child Mental Health Service Bills Pass Committee

Two bills introduced by State Rep. John Galloway seek to support mental health services for children, a task he feels is more important than ever before.

The two bills – House Bill 2187 and House Bill 2331 – were unanimously voted out of committee in Harrisburg this week.

Galloway, a Democrat from Falls Township, introduced House Bill 2187 to create an ombudperson to oversee childrens’ mental health resources statewide. The ombudperson would look to identify systemic issues relating to kids getting treatment, while monitoring compliance with laws related to children’s behavioral health services. Complaints involving violations by regulated entities would be investigated by the ombudperson, and there would be an attempt to resolve complaints.

“The ombudsperson would play an integral role in stemming this growing social crisis by opening up resources to children in need,” Galloway said.

Under House Bill 2331, a mental health services clearinghouse would be created at the state level to help schools pair families to mental health sources in the community. The clearinghouse would create a public registry of mental health care resources. In addition, it would assist school staff with connecting schools with existing programs and resources.

“Our schools lack the resources needed to provide care and services to their students,” Galloway said. “The clearinghouse would create a one-stop shop for mental health resources, saving schools time and resources and improve both the quantity and quality of mental health programming available to those in need.”

The lawmaker said the clearinghouse would meet a “critical need for a network among schools, communities and health providers so that they can share information about mental health care resources and programs.”

The 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health found that one in six American children between the ages of 6 and 17 had a treatable mental health disorder ranging from depression to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

“Our students are crying out for help,” Galloway said. “Earlier this year, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said that the majority of the 40,000 calls last year to the anonymous tip line, Safe2Say Something, concerned students struggling with mental health issues such as suicide, self-harm, depression and anxiety.

Galloway said mental health issues can cause students to have behavioral and academic issues in schools if untreated.

The lawmaker said the COVID-19 pandemic and growing concern from experts over the mental health impacts to kids spurred him to put even more focus on gaining bipartisan support for the bills.

“COVID has made this more pressing,” he said.

The bills next head to the full House.

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