WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced she has led 12 of her Senate colleagues in a letter to Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Senate Labor, Health, and Human Services and Education, respectively, requesting robust and sustained funding for the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program and the Emergency Medical Services for Children program.
Senator Rosen also announced that she has led 14 of her Senate colleagues in a letter to Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and John Hoeven (R-ND), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, respectively, requesting support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program.
“We know there is a significant shortage of children’s mental health providers, particularly in rural and underserved areas. This is where technology can play a role in bringing care to areas that need it most. The Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program provides grants to integrate mental health services into pediatric primary care settings through telehealth,” wrote the Senators in their letter advocating for pediatric mental health and medical services. “We also must continue to invest in emergency care for our children. The Emergency Medical Services for Children program is the only federal grant program dedicated to improving the health outcomes of children in emergency departments. This critical program improves pediatric capacity within our emergency systems, ensuring that children receive the specialized care they need at the most critical moments.”
“The DLT grant program assists rural and tribal communities in acquiring distance learning and telemedical technologies so that local teachers and medical service providers can connect to educators and medical professionals in other parts of the country. Since 1994, the DLT grant program has helped to establish hundreds of distance learning and telemedicine systems, improving the quality of life for thousands of residents in rural communities all across the United States,” wrote the Senators in their letter advocating for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program. “DLT grants enable rural communities to overcome any barriers they face in accessing healthcare or education, including long travel distances or a shortage of providers. Given the critical importance of these programs, we urge you to fund the USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program at or above the President’s request for FY22.”
The full text of the letter to Chair Murray and Ranking Member Blunt can be found here.
The full text of the letter to Chair Baldwin and Ranking Member Hoeven can be found here.
###
