Governor Dannel Malloy wants to commit more than $7 million to mental health services annually. The announcement comes as Malloy continues to roll out his agenda for the upcoming legislative session.
Malloy wants to commit $5 million to improve mental health services for those who have trouble getting care. That will include things like funding for residential services. He also wants to provide $2.2 million in new funding for rental assistance vouchers.
"We have folks who recover to the point where they can be discharged if they were previously at facilities," he said Friday. "But if you don't connect them with housing, and housing specifically designed to support their recovery, then you too often see a backtrack."
The governor also wants to mandate all police officers to receive training on how to respond to situations involving those with mental illness. Lastly, Malloy wants to spend $250,000 on an anti-stigma campaign.
"We need to let folks know that most of us will experience some form of mental illness during our lives," he said. "In fact, I think just about everybody does. The reality is that most of us recover, and we need to tell that story more specifically." The legislative session begins next month.
