After Bitter Gun Control Hearing, Connecticut Lawmakers Take Up Mental Health

After a bitterly contentious and emotional hearing on gun control yesterday -- the first since 20 children and six educators were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School -- the Connecticut legislature today takes up the issue of mental health and violence.

The Hartford Courant has the story:

Today's hearing will feature more than 100 people who have signed up to testify about deficiencies in mental health services. Experts will tell the mental health subcommittee of the Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence and Children that reaching - and properly treating - troubled teenagers and children won't be easy.

"Identifying the need early and getting treatment early avoids intervention and more costly treatment later,'' said Maggie Adair, executive director of the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance, in testimony submitted in advance to the Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence and Children's Safety.