State Rep. Tammy Exum of West Hartford praised the bills signed by Gov. Ned Lamont on Wednesday.

By Ronni Newton

Gov. Ned Lamont signed three key pieces of legislation Wednesday intended to boost mental health and behavioral services for children, including a bill championed by state Rep. Tammy Exum (D-West Hartford).

“It was a good day,” Exum said Thursday of HB5001. “I was proud to help craft this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues to build upon our past and current work, while creating an effective structure for tomorrow.”

The three bills signed by the governor, HB5001, An Act Concerning Children’s Mental Health; SB1, AAC Childhood Mental and Physical Health Services in Schools; and SB 2, Expanding Preschool and Mental and Behavioral Services for Children, together provide more than $100 million to fund the immediate mental and behavioral health care needs of children in the state, as well as longer-term needs, through expanding the behavioral health workforce and facilities, and increasing access through insurance.

“This benchmark legislation comes at a critical time. It addresses the urgency now, invests in the well-being of our children now, and will improve and literally save lives now,” Exum said.

“It’s not every day we do important things, and I think, today, together we’re doing something incredibly important and I’m so proud that Connecticut is a leader where it really makes a difference,” Lamont said before signing the bills.

More information about the legislation can be found here on CTNewsJunkie.com.

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