Envisioning a new way to respond to mental health crises through 988 legislation

Error message
In order to filter by the "in queue" property, you need to add the Entityqueue: Queue relationship.-
County NewsOn July 16, the 988-dialing code will replace the current 10-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and building this new system will require sustained investment at the federal, state and local levels.Envisioning a new way to respond to mental health crises through 988 legislation
-
County News Article
Envisioning a new way to respond to mental health crises through 988 legislation
Approximately 11 million individuals are admitted into local jails each year, and according to data from the Vera Institute of Justice, nearly half of those individuals will have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness. As the number of individuals suffering with behavioral health disorders increases across the nation, so has the reliance on local jails, hospitals and emergency rooms to serve as de facto mental health facilities — with the three-digit dialing code 911 often the primary mode of service connection.
In 2020, Congress unanimously passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (PL 116-172), which established the three-digit dialing code 988 as a national hotline for the coordination of local mental health crisis services. On July 16 of this year, the 988-dialing code will officially replace the 10-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline currently in use in communities across the country.
However, beyond the inherent accessibility of a three-digit code, the transition to 988 is just the first step in transforming the way that we respond to behavioral health crises in the United States. The implementation of 988 will require national uniformity in service delivery that connects individuals in crisis to timely and appropriate care, in the most appropriate setting.
Focus area Bill Sponsor Key provisions Supporting the full 988/crisis response infrastructure H.R. 7116 (988 Implementation Act of 2022) Rep. Cardenas (D-Calif.); bipartisan Funding for hard infrastructure
Support for crisis workforce development
Support for access through health insurance (including Medicaid)
Technical assistance/public awarenessH.R. 7232 (988 and Parity Assistance Act of 2022) All provisions in H.R. 7116 with exception of Medicaid insurance coverage Support for the 988 telecom system S. 1570 (HELP Act of 2021) Sen. Casey (D-Pa.); bipartisan Allocates fundings to improve 211 and 988 telecommunication systems Funding crisis response services & workforce H.R. 5611/S.1902 Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act Rep. Blunt Rochester (D-Del.); bipartisan Establishes minimum requirements for core crisis services
Provides coverage for crisis services under all insurers
Funds crisis services
Establishes coordination councilRaising public awareness S.2425 (Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2021) Sen. Reed (D-R.I.) Requires SAMHSA to raise awareness about National Suicide Lifeline program and collect related demographic information The increased accessibility and utilization of the National Suicide Lifeline is expected to produce a greater demand for services that must be met with a well-resourced response system. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes this reimagined crisis response system as having three main components:
- Someone to call.
- Someone to respond.
- Somewhere to go.
Incorporated in these three elements are trained crisis call center staff, mobile crisis teams with mental health professionals that co-respond with law enforcement to crisis situations and crisis stabilization programs that allow for a warm hand-off to long term supportive care for the individual.
Learn More
Someone to Call During a Behavioral Health Emergency: Transition to 988 in Every County
Building this new robust crisis response system will require sustained investment at the federal, state and local level. This past February at NACo’s Legislative Conference, counties voted on and passed an interim resolution that outlined federal policy priorities for building the local crisis response system, titled “Supporting 988 Implementation and Comprehensive Behavioral Health Crisis Care.” The resolution outlines five key areas of investment needed at the federal level, which include:
- Creating a universal standard for behavioral health crisis services for all communities
- Funding local crisis call centers and related behavioral health services
- Establishing a federal Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office
- Authorizing the use Medicaid funding for call center operations and crisis service provision
- Funding the behavioral health work force and related capitol development and improvement projects.
Federal policymakers at both the agency and congressional levels have been responsive to county requests for investments in this space. On April 19, the Biden administration announced it would award approximately $105 million to 54 states and territories to support crisis call center services, ahead of the July implementation of 988. Alongside this investment, Congress is currently considering a myriad of bipartisan bills that would support the launch of 988 and the development of local crisis response systems. The chart to the right tracks these legislative efforts.
As key administrators of behavioral health services, counties will be a vital force in building a continuum of care for people in crisis around the 988 National Suicide Lifeline. Counties support legislation that ensures that all people have access to comprehensive crisis care services that direct them to the most appropriate treatment options and lead to better health outcomes.
For more information on how your county can prepare to implement 988, see NACo’s blog “Someone to Call During a Behavioral Health Emergency: Transition to 988 in Every County."
On July 16, the 988-dialing code will replace the current 10-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and building this new system will require sustained investment at the federal, state and local levels.2022-05-24County News Article2022-05-25
Approximately 11 million individuals are admitted into local jails each year, and according to data from the Vera Institute of Justice, nearly half of those individuals will have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness. As the number of individuals suffering with behavioral health disorders increases across the nation, so has the reliance on local jails, hospitals and emergency rooms to serve as de facto mental health facilities — with the three-digit dialing code 911 often the primary mode of service connection.
In 2020, Congress unanimously passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (PL 116-172), which established the three-digit dialing code 988 as a national hotline for the coordination of local mental health crisis services. On July 16 of this year, the 988-dialing code will officially replace the 10-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline currently in use in communities across the country.
However, beyond the inherent accessibility of a three-digit code, the transition to 988 is just the first step in transforming the way that we respond to behavioral health crises in the United States. The implementation of 988 will require national uniformity in service delivery that connects individuals in crisis to timely and appropriate care, in the most appropriate setting.
Focus area | Bill | Sponsor | Key provisions |
---|---|---|---|
Supporting the full 988/crisis response infrastructure | H.R. 7116 (988 Implementation Act of 2022) | Rep. Cardenas (D-Calif.); bipartisan | Funding for hard infrastructure Support for crisis workforce development Support for access through health insurance (including Medicaid) Technical assistance/public awareness |
H.R. 7232 (988 and Parity Assistance Act of 2022) | All provisions in H.R. 7116 with exception of Medicaid insurance coverage | ||
Support for the 988 telecom system | S. 1570 (HELP Act of 2021) | Sen. Casey (D-Pa.); bipartisan | Allocates fundings to improve 211 and 988 telecommunication systems |
Funding crisis response services & workforce | H.R. 5611/S.1902 Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act | Rep. Blunt Rochester (D-Del.); bipartisan | Establishes minimum requirements for core crisis services Provides coverage for crisis services under all insurers Funds crisis services Establishes coordination council |
Raising public awareness | S.2425 (Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act of 2021) | Sen. Reed (D-R.I.) | Requires SAMHSA to raise awareness about National Suicide Lifeline program and collect related demographic information |
The increased accessibility and utilization of the National Suicide Lifeline is expected to produce a greater demand for services that must be met with a well-resourced response system. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes this reimagined crisis response system as having three main components:
- Someone to call.
- Someone to respond.
- Somewhere to go.
Incorporated in these three elements are trained crisis call center staff, mobile crisis teams with mental health professionals that co-respond with law enforcement to crisis situations and crisis stabilization programs that allow for a warm hand-off to long term supportive care for the individual.
Learn More
Someone to Call During a Behavioral Health Emergency: Transition to 988 in Every County
Building this new robust crisis response system will require sustained investment at the federal, state and local level. This past February at NACo’s Legislative Conference, counties voted on and passed an interim resolution that outlined federal policy priorities for building the local crisis response system, titled “Supporting 988 Implementation and Comprehensive Behavioral Health Crisis Care.” The resolution outlines five key areas of investment needed at the federal level, which include:
- Creating a universal standard for behavioral health crisis services for all communities
- Funding local crisis call centers and related behavioral health services
- Establishing a federal Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office
- Authorizing the use Medicaid funding for call center operations and crisis service provision
- Funding the behavioral health work force and related capitol development and improvement projects.
Federal policymakers at both the agency and congressional levels have been responsive to county requests for investments in this space. On April 19, the Biden administration announced it would award approximately $105 million to 54 states and territories to support crisis call center services, ahead of the July implementation of 988. Alongside this investment, Congress is currently considering a myriad of bipartisan bills that would support the launch of 988 and the development of local crisis response systems. The chart to the right tracks these legislative efforts.
As key administrators of behavioral health services, counties will be a vital force in building a continuum of care for people in crisis around the 988 National Suicide Lifeline. Counties support legislation that ensures that all people have access to comprehensive crisis care services that direct them to the most appropriate treatment options and lead to better health outcomes.
For more information on how your county can prepare to implement 988, see NACo’s blog “Someone to Call During a Behavioral Health Emergency: Transition to 988 in Every County."
Hero 1
About Blaire Bryant (Full Bio)
Legislative Director – Health | Large Urban County Caucus
More from Blaire Bryant
-
Blog
Someone to Call During a Behavioral Health Emergency: Transitioning to 988 in Every County
Counties are integral to America’s behavioral health system and will be a vital force for building robust continuums of care for people with behavioral health conditions such as mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
-
Blog
Webinar Recap: County Strategies to Recruit and Retain a Strong Behavioral Health Workforce
For county governments, a strong and fully staffed behavioral health workforce is key to supporting people living with behavioral health conditions. Like other sectors, county governments are experiencing a shortage in local behavioral health workforce. -
Blog
New CDC data reveals rates of poor mental health and suicidality on the rise for youth in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011-2019, which provides data on health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death amongst youth and adults. -
Blog
HHS releases guidance on the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
On February 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released new guidance on the agency’s plan to end the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration on May 11, 2023. -
Reports & Toolkits
Planning Principles Toolkit
Tools, templates and strategic guidance for maximizing the impact of opioid settlement funds on your community’s opioid abatement priorities. -
Webinar
Reducing Jail Populations: Decreasing Bookings and/or Arrests through Diversion, Citations and Warrant Avoidance and Resolution
Mar. 2, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmUnable to attend? Watch the recording here. -
Blog
CMS approves first-ever MIEP waiver for the state of California
On January 26, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, approved a first-of-its-kind Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program section 1115 demonstration amendment in California, which will connect justice-involved people in jails and prisons with community-based Medicaid providers 90 days before their release to ensure continuity of care upon return to the community.
-
Webinar
Reducing Jail Populations: Lowering Recidivism through Jail- and Community-Based Treatment and Services
April 6, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmReducing recidivism through effective jail- and community-based services can decrease jail admissions and populations and improve outcomes for people with criminal histories.04062:00 pm<p>Reducing recidivism through effective jail- and community-based services can decrease jail admissions and populations and improve outcomes for people with criminal histories.</p>
-
Basic page
The Stepping Up Initiative
In May 2015, NACo and partners at the CSG Justice Center and APA Foundation launched Stepping Up: A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails.pagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> -
Reports & Toolkits
Opioid Solutions Center
NACo’s Opioid Solutions Center empowers local leaders to invest resources in effective treatment, recovery, prevention and harm reduction practices that save lives and address the underlying causes of substance use disorder.Reports & Toolkitsdocument10123:30 pmReports & Toolkits<p>NACo's Opioid Solutions Center empowers local leaders to invest resources in effective treatment, recovery, prevention and harm reduction practices that save lives and address the underlying causes of substance use disorder.
Contact
-
Legislative Director – Health | Large Urban County Caucus(202) 942-4246
Related Resources
-
Blog
Webinar Recap: County Strategies to Recruit and Retain a Strong Behavioral Health Workforce
For county governments, a strong and fully staffed behavioral health workforce is key to supporting people living with behavioral health conditions. Like other sectors, county governments are experiencing a shortage in local behavioral health workforce. -
Blog
New CDC data reveals rates of poor mental health and suicidality on the rise for youth in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011-2019, which provides data on health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death amongst youth and adults. -
Blog
HHS releases guidance on the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
On February 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released new guidance on the agency’s plan to end the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration on May 11, 2023.
-
Reports & Toolkits
Planning Principles Toolkit
Tools, templates and strategic guidance for maximizing the impact of opioid settlement funds on your community’s opioid abatement priorities. -
Press Release
National Association of Counties Announces Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing
New initiative brings together county leaders to drive action on nation’s mental health crisis -
Reports & Toolkits
Behavioral Health Matters to Counties
Through 750 behavioral health authorities and community providers, county governments plan and operate community-based services for persons with mental illnesses and substance use conditions.
Related Events
-
6Apr2023Webinar
Reducing Jail Populations: Lowering Recidivism through Jail- and Community-Based Treatment and Services
Apr. 6, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
More From
-
ARPA Impact Report: An Analysis of How Counties are Addressing National Issues With Local Investments
With American Rescue Plan funds, counties are strengthening America’s workforce, addressing the nation’s behavioral health crisis, expanding broadband access, improving housing affordability and building prosperous communities for the next generation.
Learn More