AN ACT CONCERNING COMPLEX CARE SERVICE DELIVERY FOR YOUNG PERSONS WITH CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY OR AUTISM DIAGNOSES.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Saud Anwar and 1 co-sponsor

Connecticut creates integrated mental health and developmental disability services for young adults with co-occurring diagnoses, addressing critical service delivery gaps between child and adult systems.

FILE NO. 440

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Legislative bill overview

HB 5556 establishes a coordinated service delivery system for young adults (likely ages 18-30) who have concurrent mental health conditions alongside intellectual disabilities or autism diagnoses. The bill directs Connecticut to create integrated care frameworks that address the complex needs of this population, which typically fall between children's services and adult mental health systems. It represents an attempt to bridge a critical service gap where young adults often lose access to coordinated care upon aging out of pediatric programs.

Why is this important

Young adults with co-occurring mental health and developmental disabilities face a significant "cliff" in services when transitioning from school-based and pediatric programs to adult systems—often resulting in crisis intervention, hospitalization, or homelessness. This bill addresses a documented gap in Connecticut's service infrastructure by requiring intentional coordination between mental health, developmental services, and healthcare providers. Effective implementation could reduce emergency department use, improve employment and housing outcomes, and significantly lower lifetime costs associated with crisis care.

Potential points of contention

Cost and funding: Creating a new coordinated system requires resources; unclear whether funding comes from existing budgets (redirecting services elsewhere) or new appropriations

Age eligibility definition: The exact age range and transition procedures from pediatric to adult services remain undefined, potentially creating new gaps

Provider capacity: Connecticut's current mental health and developmental services workforce may lack capacity or training in dual-diagnosis complex care, requiring workforce investment

Regulatory clarity: The bill's implementation details, performance metrics, and accountability mechanisms are not yet specified in available legislative history