Connecticut has launched a new state-level initiative to expand access to mental health care and better support behavioral health providers. Governor Ned Lamont has announced the official creation of the Office of the Behavioral Health Advocate, a newly independent agency designed to assist Connecticut residents navigating the behavioral healthcare system, advocate for equitable access, and support timely payment to providers.

The office, established by state legislation and housed within the Connecticut Insurance Department for administrative purposes only, is led by Howard Sovronsky, who was appointed by Governor Lamont and confirmed by the legislature earlier this year.

“Access to mental health services is one of the most pressing needs of our time, and it needs to be treated just as we do for any other physical health situation,” Governor Lamont said. “Over the last several years, I’ve partnered with the state legislature to enact some of the strongest mental health parity and coverage laws in the nation, and this new office will provide the residents of our state with an advocate to help break down the barriers that still stand in the way of true mental health equity. Howard Sovronsky has a great depth of knowledge on this issue, and he is passionate about increasing access to care. He is the exact kind of person we need in this advocacy position.”

Sovronsky brings decades of leadership in Connecticut’s healthcare and nonprofit sectors, including roles at Connecticut Children’s and Community Health Resources.

“There could not be a more critical time than now to establish an independent voice to advance the needs of both behavioral health consumers and providers,” Sovronsky said. “The momentum to address universal behavioral health needs creates a unique opportunity for change and improvement that this office is committed to achieve.”