Detroit, Michigan – National Governors Association (NGA) President, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy continued his nationwide listening tour on youth mental health issues with an event hosted by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Governors held a roundtable with those on the front lines of youth mental health care in the third in a series of conversations to advance the NGA President’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health. New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy, North Carolina First Lady Kristin Cooper and North Dakota First Lady Kathryn Burgum also spoke at the event, which also focused on the enlargement access and quality of care for maternal and child health.
“The youth mental health crisis and the relentless toll it takes on families, educators, providers and communities can be felt in cities and states across the country,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Systemic challenges have depleted the national mental health workforce, leading to barriers to access due to expense and distance, preventing children from receiving the care they need. This meeting focused on the solutions needed to remove these barriers and build a strong support system by leveraging innovative financing opportunities that can complement and amplify existing state investments and programs. As governors, we remain committed to working together and sharing best practices to ensure that our young people, and their families, communities and schools, have access to the essential youth mental health supports they need and that they deserve to thrive.
“In Michigan, we work together to ensure that all children can thrive by investing in their overall well-being, including mental and behavioral health,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “We know we still have work to do in Michigan and across the country, and we recognize that this crisis will take a comprehensive approach. This roundtable gives us all an opportunity to learn more and consider ways to build on the good work that is going on. »
“Solving the twin issues plaguing our country – maternal and child health and youth mental health – will require us all to work together. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the lived experiences of our experts and discuss additional steps that can be taken in each of our states to address these crises at the national level,” said New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy. “In New Jersey, the success we’ve seen in maternal and child health is the result of collaborative efforts among many stakeholders. Together, we will move our country in the right direction when it comes to maternal and child health and youth mental health.
In response to rising rates of mental distress among young people, Governor Murphy presented his NGA President’s Initiative last July. As part of the Strengthening Youth Mental Health initiative, governors across the country are working together to develop bipartisan solutions.
During the two-day roundtable in Detroit, Governors Murphy and Whitmer will hold discussions with first spouses, private sector leaders, and policy and subject matter experts. Conversations focused on the role of states in ensuring access and affordability of quality mental health treatment and care for young people.
At the event, Governor Murphy released a new videofeaturing American professional race car driver William Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr. to help raise mental health awareness and seek help.
The Michigan event is the third of four roundtables the governors will convene across multiple states to support the Strengthening Youth Mental Health initiative. Previous round tables were hosted in California by Governor Murphy and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and in utah by Governor Murphy and NGA Vice President, Utah Governor Spencer Cox.
