Recommendations to Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs in California

In 2016, the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) surveyed a targeted group of individuals who work to provide access to services for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) in California. The goal was to identify the services that are most difficult for CSHCN and their families to access. The survey results indicated that there is a pressing need to address access to mental health care and counseling. NHeLP then brought together stakeholders from around California to discuss potential legal interventions to improve access. The goals of that convening were three: (1) to more clearly identify the primary barriers CSHCN face in accessing mental health care and counseling; (2) to identify the source of those barriers; and (3) to make recommendations for addressing those barriers. This fact sheet summarizes their recommendations. 

The full report can be found here.