HHS awards more than $100 million in funds to improve mental health crisis services

Key Takeaways

On October 21, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), awarded more than $100 million in funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to states and territories for mental health emergency preparedness, crisis response and the expansion of 988 suicide and crisis lifeline services.

HHS awarded $59.4 million to states and territories through the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) program, with the recommendation that the funding be spent to address mental health emergency preparedness and crisis response efforts. An additional $50 million was also made available in supplemental grant funding, provided by BSCA, to help states and territories expand and enhance 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline services. This funding is available to 54 states and territories and awards will range from about $458,000 to $2 million and will be distributed before Dec. 31.

States and territories, in collaboration with counties, can leverage MHBG funding for a variety of comprehensive community mental health services including developing statewide mental health emergency preparedness and response plans; identifying mobile crisis teams that can be deployed rapidly throughout the state to address mental health during an emergency; providing behavioral health crisis response trainings to agencies and providers; identifying culturally and linguistically appropriate support for diverse populations; and leveraging relationships with 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline call centers, child welfare organizations, schools and other community stakeholders.

Counties support legislative and regulatory action that provides direct and flexible funding to enhance the crisis response infrastructure and applaud additional investments in key federal discretionary programs that support the administration of local mental health services.  

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• NACo Policy Brief: Fund Local Crisis Response Efforts
• Toolkit for Counties: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• Someone to Call During a Behavioral Health Emergency