On October 11th, 2023 Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order expanding mental health and substance disorder accessibility.

The order will create a behavioral health council comprised of 33 people which will bring in state leaders, local governments, and community advisors to address timely and quality mental health and substance care.

The council was brought in to address the growing mental health and substance abuse crisis across the commonwealth. The council will report to Gov. Shapiro and develop a statewide action plan to address access to care, affordability, and the delivery of services. They will seek to create a more holistic care system.

In a statement delivered by Gov.Shapiro he said, “Across Pennsylvania, I’ve heard from students, parents, providers, and so many others who have told me about the growing challenges of dealing with mental health challenges and substance use disorder, which are so often intertwined.”

The behavioral health council will be headed by Dr. Christiano Finello. The leaders’ job will be to improve mental health and substance abuse care.