Introduced by Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., the bipartisan H.R. 2412, Helping Kids Cope Act, legislation takes critical steps to bolster the pediatric mental health workforce and improve the availability of a full continuum of mental health care for kids.
The Helping Kids Cope Act (H.R. 2412) will establish three new grant programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) focused on urgent needs for pediatric mental and behavioral health care. Together these grants will:
- Improve access to community-based services and support. Strengthening community-based pediatric mental health services will enable communities to implement or develop new programs and policies tailored to meet the mental and behavioral health needs of children.
- Enhance and expand the pediatric mental health workforce. Expanded mental and behavioral health training will bolster the capacity of the current pediatric health workforce and support the recruitment and training of new pediatric mental health professionals to grow the workforce.
- Invest in critical pediatric mental health infrastructure. Expanding and enhancing critical pediatric mental health infrastructure will improve our national capacity to deliver appropriate care for children with more intensive treatment needs, including inpatient psychiatric care and step-down care, such as day programs and intensive outpatient services.
