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Senate committee advances voluntary home-visiting program for early-childhood mental health
Summary
The Health & Welfare Committee approved Senate Bill 21-53 to authorize the Department of Health to establish a voluntary, evidence-based home-visiting program focused on early-childhood mental health; the bill moves forward contingent on future funding.
The Senate Health & Welfare Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 21-53, a measure authorizing the Department of Health to establish a voluntary, evidence-based home-visiting program aimed at addressing early-childhood mental-health needs.
Sponsor Sen. Wallace said the bill mirrors the state's nurse home-visiting model and would create a planning and readiness process at the Department of Health until funding is available. "This incremental model'authorizing first for planning and readiness, then funding when available'has proven highly effective," the sponsor said.
Committee members praised early intervention while raising funding questions. One member asked whether the existing nurse home-visiting program is fully funded and whether creating a new, unfunded program could draw resources away from current services. The sponsor answered that the new program would be voluntary and would not require implementation absent identified funding.
The committee recorded a roll-call vote of six ayes and three no votes; the measure was reported out and will go to the calendar. Action notes: bill passed committee and advances to the next legislative stage for calendar placement.
