State Representative Jim Struzzi has been named to a newly formed council by Governor Josh Shapiro that will focus on behavioral health.
The new Pennsylvania Behavioral Health Council was created by an executive order of the Governor in October. It is meant to bring together mental health and substance abuse disorder stakeholders to improve accessibility to services. The group’s mission will be to create a statewide action plan to address any gaps and concerns with access, affordability, or delivery of services.
Struzzi is currently the chair of the House Human Services Committee’s subcommittee on mental health services and has introduced many bills related to mental and behavioral health, including most recently a bill to legalize fentanyl test strips for personal use in the state. In a news release, Struzzi said that he was honored to be asked on the council, saying that, “Addressing the shortcomings of our current behavioral health system will be a challenge, but it is one we can no longer ignore. We are measuring the cost in lives lost and that is too high of a price to pay.”
