During the Connecticut legislature’s 2025 session, a Democrat-sponsored bill that would have enhanced children’s behavioral health services and infused more than $8 million into mobile crisis intervention passed the Connecticut House (125-23). Then it was filibustered by Republicans in the Senate, which meant the legislation never made to the floor for a vote before the session ended at midnight on June 4.
So, despite compelling data on the rising rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide around the country, including Connecticut, as well as a documented shortage of mental health programs and school providers in our state, “An Act Concerning Children’s Behavioral Health Services” did not become law in our state in 2025. And, unlike at the Federal level where a bill can be continued into the next Congressional session, in Connecticut the bill’s proponents will have to start all over to create and support similar legislation in a future state legislative session.
State Senator Ceci Maher, who represents Ridgefield and is co-chair of the state legislature’s Children’s Committee, is hopeful that underfunding for children’s mental health services can be rectified if the legislature meets for a Special Session this fall (CT Mirror, July 11, 2025).
The defeat of HB 6951 follows in the wake of Trump administration cuts amounting to $11.4 billion to public health grants nationwide, made earlier this year. Connecticut alone will lose $150 million of grants allocated to the state’s Department of Public Health and Addiction Services (FOX61 WTIC Connecticut News, 3/27/25)
Cuts to Medicaid and new barriers to accessing health care benefits—including increased administrative steps and additional attestation to ongoing need, whether for children with mental health issues or adults whose addiction recovery programs are at risk (CT Mirror, August 24, 2025)–are expected to increase the burden on hospital emergency rooms throughout the state (Capitol Dispatch, 7/12/25).
Do you—or someone you know–have a personal story to tell about how Federal actions are affecting you or your neighbors right here in Ridgefield? Please contact us at tellmystory@ridgefielddems.org. We want others in the community to know your real-world story—which we promise to hold in confidence and tell unattributed—because Ridgefield Democrats work for you.