Dear Neighbor,

Growing up, did you ever hear the phrase "los ninos no lloran" (little boys don't cry)? Latino boys and girls are taught to stay strong and keep going - especially because of all the sacrifices our parents made to get here. I remember my mom saying to me: "we don't make change, we're just happy to be here." We know mental health treatment for youth drastically improves outcomes for children and lasts into adulthood, yet Latinos struggle with cultural stigma, language barriers, cost, access, and other challenges that prevent them from getting the help they need.

Yesterday, I led a roundtable in my role as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) in Los Angeles to highlight the investments made by Congress and the Biden Administration in children's mental health for Latino Communities. I was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and my colleagues Congressman Tony Cárdenas and Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove, at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) to talk about investments made to help communities have greater access to care, and in particular mental health services for young Latinos and Latinas.

Unfortunately, mental health issues, depression, and anxiety are on the rise for our children, but less than 8% of Latino kids are currently receiving treatment for mental health issues. Last year, Congress passed a funding bill that invested resources into programs that help break down barriers and get our children and their families the support they need.

We increased funding for programs like Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which support access for children to essential health services like mental health. Thanks to this bill, every child enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP will have 12 months of continuous, stable coverage when they enroll.
We appropriated $385 million to the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education Payment Program (CHGME), to ensure there are enough providers at children's hospitals around the country. CHLA received over $15 million of CHGME funding to support training pediatricians and pediatric specialists.
The Administration and HHS programs have allocated millions in grants to improve resources to address the youth medial health crisis. CHLA received a five-year, $2.5 million grant in support of clinical training and research designed to address the growing mental health crisis among children and youth.

This roundtable was the first event to kick off our CHC on the Road initiative - where the CHC comes to communities to share what the Caucus, Congress, and the Biden Administration have accomplished and to hear the priorities of our Latino communities. Yesterday, we partnered with the Biden Administration to highlight investments in mental health that Congress and the Administration have made and how this funding will better serve the needs of our Latino communities.

As your Representative, I understand the importance of increased resources and decreased barriers to accessing the healthcare you need. I will continue to fight for more equitable access to quality healthcare for all of our communities.

If you or a friend are struggling with a mental health issue, please call my office at (310)-831-1799 and we can assist you with resources to help.

For more information on resources available to you and your loved ones, you can visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Los Angeles for other mental health issues such as panic disorder, domestic abuse, and screenings. And if you, a family member, or a friend are are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can dial 9-8-8 to speak to a qualified counselor who can talk with you and find assistance