2025 Policy Recommendation
Develop financial incentives and implementation support for initiatives aiming to integrate mental health into primary care settings serving children and families to promote wellness and upstream prevention. Renewed Policy Recommendation (2024)
What It Means
The evolving mental health needs of children and their families in Vermont require new approaches and innovation for service delivery to improve accessibility. A cross-sector group of experts and partners have come together as part of the Mental Health Integration Council to examine and provide recommendations for how best to move forward with innovative integration strategies to better serve Vermont’s health needs.
This work has included a pediatric care work group that has elevated recommendations related to the state financially supporting the integration of mental health services into primary care settings to provide more easily accessible preventative care to children and families.
Why It Matters
The rate of children in Vermont with behavioral/conduct problems, anxiety, and/or depression continues to be on the rise. Providing the best possible care to these children and their families is becoming increasingly challenging for mental health providers and agencies, whose ability to do so is only as strong as their workforce.
To alleviate challenges and provide more preventative, upstream care, Vermont should develop financial incentives for the integration of mental health services into more primary care settings, a practice that has been shown to have significant benefits, including improved depression scores and improved experiences for both patients and providers.
What Happened in 2025
No legislative action was taken to address this priority in the 2025 session. Not all policy priorities are subject to legislative action. Building Bright Futures partners with state government decision-makers within agencies to improve policy and practice. Building Bright Futures continues to monitor legislative and other types of progress related to this recommendation. If you have additional information about progress in this area, please be in touch with BBF’s Policy Director, Anna Brouillette.
Connects to VECAP Goal 3:
All children and families have access to high-quality opportunities that meet their needs.
Spotlight on Equity
People of color and low-income people are more likely to experience greater levels of chronic stress than white people and those with wealth. These populations are also less likely to have access to mental health care than white people, and are more likely to receive poor-quality care when treated.
Read All 2025 Policy Recommendations