Today, the Utah House Democratic Caucus hosted a bipartisan meeting with esteemed members from the Biden Administration, including Jessica Marcella, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs and Director of the Office of Adolescent Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Lily Griego, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Acknowledging the profound impact of the pandemic on young individuals, Marcella stressed the significance of a community-driven solution tailored to the specific needs of the communities it serves.
During their travels across Utah, Griego and Marcella engaged with various communities to discuss initiatives and explore ways to enhance mental health accessibility and outcomes through partnerships. The discussion touched upon the nation’s current record high insured population, highlighting the positive impact of insurance on individuals seeking preventative care.
Marcella outlined a vision centered on health equity, quality, and eight key objectives, including increased youth health literacy and meaningful youth engagement. She highlighted the need for collaboration to address mental health concerns, particularly suicidality.
Throughout the meeting, Utah legislators provided updates on state initiatives, including efforts to increase partnerships between public and private behavioral mental health sectors to help address challenges. The importance of accountability and measuring outcomes took center stage, focusing on community-based solutions tailored to specific needs.
Utah legislators also shared successful mental health initiatives in Utah, such as increasing the availability of youth mental health screenings with parental consent and the effectiveness of the Safe UT app in helping to address youth mental health.
Participants discussed the vital role of federal support in identifying and endorsing best practices. The meeting emphasized the need for public education, awareness, and a bottom-up approach to effectively support families, communities, and early intervention strategies.
The Utah House Democratic Caucus remains committed to fostering bipartisan collaboration and implementing effective strategies to improve adolescent mental health and wellbeing across the state.
