Comments Document

Good morning, members of the General Assembly, Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 children under the age of six in Virginia faces mental health challenges, yet the vast majority will never receive the support they need? That’s a staggering reality—and one we have the power to change today with HB 1760. My name is Dr. Anjali Ferguson. I am a licensed clinical psychologist with early childhood expertise, the Executive Director of the Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health, and, perhaps most importantly, a mother to two young children under the age of five. I am here to share why this bill is not just important—it is urgent. Currently, development evaluations across the state have wait times of 12 months or more. During that critical year, children miss out on essential interventions that could shape their developmental trajectory. Early intervention matters. Research tells us that addressing developmental concerns early can have life-altering impacts, improving outcomes for children and their families. Yet, too many families are left waiting, watching precious time slip away. For the last several years, I have dedicated my professional career to addressing these needs. I even started a rapid access clinic to provide faster evaluations and interventions for young children. While it has helped, the demand far outweighs the resources available. The need is still immense. Early childhood is a time of unparalleled growth. With 90% of brain development occurring before the age of five, there is no better moment to act. Yet Virginia ranks 39th in the nation for developmental services. Families face long delays, limited access, and a lack of trained professionals equipped to address these challenges. The cost of inaction is enormous—not just emotionally, but financially. Every dollar invested in early childhood mental health services saves seven dollars in reduced costs for special education, mental health treatment, and juvenile justice involvement. Investing now is not only the compassionate choice; it’s the fiscally responsible one. HB 1760 offers a clear solution. By establishing a mental health consultation program for early childhood providers and families, this bill equips educators and healthcare professionals with the tools they need to identify and address concerns early. It builds the infrastructure we desperately need to give every child a strong foundation for lifelong health and success. 2:25 Picture a child you know under the age of five—their joy, their potential. Now imagine the weight of their struggles if they don’t get the support they need. Passing HB 1760 ensures no child in Virginia has to face that reality. This is our moment to lead. Let’s make Virginia a state where every child has the chance to thrive. I urge you to support HB 1760. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to the future of Virginia’s children.

I am a mental health professional who retired from a CSB. My primary responsibility was family counseling. I believe in supporting young families early, before stress induced ruptures occur which can severely impact the mental health of young children. Children with developmental disorders are especially vulnerable. Special training is needed to understand the mental health needs of pregnant women, new families, and children birth-six. As the bill recommends, I urge the legislature to provide funding so that critically needed state wide services for this population can be developed. Mental health consultants, home visitors, and other early childhood professionals are critical for providing the mental health supports that this population needs. I strongly support funding to expand services for early childhood mental health.

I am a mother and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in young child psychotherapy in Richmond, VA and I support this bill. I have specialized in helping young children recover from post-traumatic stress for 25 years. I have seen firsthand the dire circumstances parents and children are in, and the need for early and strong support. I have worked with thousands of children and seen trauma passed through generations by lack of resources and support. This leads to psychological problems, behavioral problems, disruptions in classrooms, suspensions from day care, stressed out parents, and then parents who develop their own health and mental health problems, addictions, and sometimes even violence against their families. Decades of research demonstrates the impact of early intervention (or the lack thereof). Preschool teachers, day care providers, therapists, and medical providers are the ones interacting with kids at this age and we need education and a strong workforce. Mental health providers have the training and resources to help other know the right things to do, so behaviors and problems can be prevented and addressed early. This bill outlines a lot of ways we can bolster every child's development to be on track for learning, being good citizens, and becoming good parents themselves. Currently, families will contact me and tell me they have been waiting up to a year to get the services they need, and even as a professional it is extremely confusing to know where to start or who to ask. A coordinated program with evidence-based foundation will make this much more efficient.

Mental Health Virginia supports efforts to make children's mental health a priority. There is urgency to this issue, and the earlier we can assess a child's needs then the sooner they can get the appropriate support and the better the outcomes. It is so important that the adults in each child's life, parents, teachers, caregivers, have the training and tools they need in order to support a child's health, including mental health.

At Voices for Virginia's Children, we are committed to advocating for policies that protect and promote the well-being of Virginia’s youth. HB 1760, the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Act, represents a vital step in supporting the mental health of young children and families across the Commonwealth. This bill addresses a growing need to provide mental health support for children ages five and under, a period in life that is foundational for lifelong health, development, and well-being. Virginia, like many states, faces significant challenges when it comes to addressing the mental health needs of young children. By implementing the programs outlined in HB 1760, Virginia will be taking a significant step toward ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, has access to the mental health support they need during these critical early years.

Comments Document

Hospital consent forms are not protecting patients. My only remaining, fully functioning ovary was removed without my consent. I consented to a diagnostic laparoscopy and possible appendectomy. An oophorectomy was never discussed as part of the surgical plan and there was nothing in my medical records or surgical pathology report that justified its removal. But in court, the doctor prevailed, claiming he didn't need my consent because the fine print of the consent form stated that he was able to perform additional procedures if he deemed them to be in my best interest. No one, including doctors, should have the right to make that type of decision for a woman. This is the epitome of My Body My Choice! The only exception should be if removal is necessary to save her life. Without consent, it's no different forced sterilization. This "gray area" in consent form fine print, is allowing doctors to get away with removing reproductive organs without consent. And it's not a rare occurrence. The Dr. Perwaiz case in Chesapeake shows how a single doctor was able to violate hundreds of women. For decades their complaints fell on deaf ears. And he was only caught and held accountable because the Federal government. Sadly, even with his federal conviction, most of his victims will never get the justice they deserve. The system has failed them, failed me, and likely failed hundreds, possibly thousand of other Virginia women. Please help ensure that it doesn’t continue to fail us. COV 54.1-2974, Sexual Sterilization, requires doctors to obtain written, informed consent and provide a reasonable, and comprehensible medical explanation as to the meaning and consequences of such an operation; but only when a surgical sterilization is requested by the patient. But there's nothing requiring written consent when a patient HAS NOT requested sexual sterilization and there's no definition of what constitutes "reasonable, and comprehensible medical explanation". Therefore, Virginia women have had no solid legal recourse when a surgery is performed without consent or with inadequate information. We are in desperate need of legislative reform to help protect women from these unnecessary and unauthorized surgeries. Delegate Orrock attempted to right this wrong last session with HB217, providing specific requirements for hysterectomies and oophorectomies, but was met with so much opposition before its first reading it was amended so that it simply asked for a review and report by DHP of the informed consent process. As amended, it wasn't going to solve the problem, but it would have been a step in the right direction and gotten the necessary discussion started. While its companion bill, introduced by Senator Stuart, received unanimous bipartisan support in the Senate, the House Democrats allowed HB217 to die in committee. This year's bill, HB1787, is also not going to solve the problem, but something needs to be done; and something is better than nothing. Ideally, I'd like to see the politics put aside, and for our legislators to come together to provide women the protection we deserve when it comes to what happens to our bodies. I simply cannot understand how anyone, regardless of political affiliation, could oppose a bill that protects the rights of women's reproductive organs. Our reproductive organs play a critical role in our health and quality of life. They are invaluable and irreplaceable. I have attached supporting documentation.

Mental Health Virginia supports all efforts to remove barriers that are not needed to protect the public but which prevent otherwise qualified peer specialists from being hired when the employer wants to hire them. Virginia has one of the worst rankings for access to a behavioral health workforce. We need trained peer specialists in positions where they can use their own lived experience to help others.

Voices for Virginia's Children support HB1877 as it removes significant financial barriers for individuals who would otherwise be appropriate to be licensed as a peer recovery specialist in the state. This bill improves access for individuals to become PRS' and thus, opens up more opportunities for the Commonwealth to meet the needs of our community members living with mental health challenges and illness.