[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 1, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H1180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CARING FOR TEEN MENTAL HEALTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Porter) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PORTER. Madam Speaker, kids and teens are facing a mental health 
crisis.
  In Orange County, the hospitalization rate for children's mental 
illness and substance use disorder increased 88 percent between 2010 
and 2019. Just last year, our children's hospital saw a 40 percent 
increase in mental health admissions in its emergency department.
  On March 2, National Teen Mental Health Day, we recognize that caring 
for mental health is a part of raising and educating our kids. 
Communities should support children's well-being before mental health 
issues become crises.
  In Orange County schools, like the ones my kids attend, that work has 
already begun. Using funds from the American Rescue Plan, the Irvine 
Unified School District has hired qualified mental health specialists. 
These professionals are dedicated resources for mental health recovery, 
and they allow counselors to focus on academic issues and peer 
relationships and teachers to focus on education.
  Together with the Children's Hospital of Orange County, schools are 
building safe, comfortable places for students to heal. These retreats, 
called WellSpaces, are supported by mental health professionals and 
help students with the pressures of being kids.
  WellSpaces are an innovative way to ease the transition to in-person 
learning after pandemic school closures and to teach mental wellness 
skills. Just like with physical health, even the best prevention 
tactics do not eliminate emergencies or stop chronic illnesses.
  For kids that need more care, CHOC offers world-class treatment. 
CHOC's intensive outpatient program keeps children living at home with 
their loved ones and allows them to remain in school. This healthcare 
delivery keeps kids connected to their families and their teachers. 
CHOC built a pediatric inpatient center to give younger kids the acute 
care that will help them have healthier teen years.
  Mental healthcare providers are moving mountains to care for our 
kids. Thanks to the work of dedicated professionals and health centers 
like CHOC, raising a family in Orange County means our kids will have 
the resources to stay healthy, mentally and physically. But these 
resources mean little if families cannot afford them or if insurers 
refuse to cover them.
  That is why I am making sure that big insurers follow the law and 
cover mental healthcare. I am proud that my bill, the Mental Health 
Parity Compliance Act, was signed into law in 2020. This legislation 
provides tools to enforce the requirement that insurance companies 
cover mental healthcare the same way they cover physical health.
  Children need lawmakers to prioritize their well-being, including 
mental healthcare. This means supporting high-quality, innovative 
programs; increasing connections between families, schools, and 
healthcare providers; and closing loopholes used by insurance companies 
to deny families affordable mental healthcare. The youth mental health 
crisis will not improve without investment in care.
  As an Orange County mom, I am proud that my community is leading the 
way in responding to the youth mental health crisis. Our younger 
generations are counting on us to help them toward health and wellness, 
and I am committed to working across the aisle to get that done.


                 2022 SOTU Virtual Guest Nazy Shabazian

  Ms. PORTER. Madam Speaker, when my 1-year-old daughter, Betsy, went 
to daycare, I was worried. My family was in upheaval with a divorce, 
and Betsy was new to childcare. But when the door opened, Betsy was 
scooped up in a hug.
  Irvine resident Nazy Shabazian provided Betsy with years of fun but 
firm guidance--painting, racing cars, dancing, and even snacking on 
Persian cucumbers.
  A single parent herself, Nazy inspired me by successfully running her 
small business and raising two terrific daughters. During the pandemic, 
she adjusted to new health protocols, employee changes, and different 
parent schedules. Today, her business, Melody Child Care, is thriving--
and so are the children in her care.
  Nazy is an exemplar of the compassion and resilience that childcare 
providers and small businesses showed during the pandemic. I am proud 
to honor her as my 2022 State of the Union guest.

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