How County Elected Officials Can Support Crisis Triage Centers: A Place for Community Members to Go During a Behavioral Health Emergency
Upcoming Events
Related News
County elected officials can support community members during a behavioral health emergency by increasing access to services such as crisis triage centers. These centers offer residents a physical location to access stabilization, treatment and connections to community-based services. By increasing access to crisis triage centers, counties can serve the needs of community members with behavioral health conditions, reserve emergency departments and law enforcement officers for other priorities and direct resources to improve community well-being.
County elected officials can assist by:
- Determining the need, through resource and process mapping to understand if a crisis triage center is appropriate
- Ensuring collaboration across county agencies and community partners to best serve residents through integrated care, and
- Securing funding from federal, state, local and private sources to develop a center and sustain operations.
U.S. House reintroduces legislation to address the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy with NACo support
Two bipartisan bills aimed at addressing the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy (MIEP) were recently reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
U.S. House of Representatives re-establishes Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus with NACo support
On May 7, members of the U.S. House of Representatives appointed new leadership to the Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, reaffirming their commitment to addressing the nation’s mental health crisis through cross-party collaboration.
House passes SUPPORT Act reauthorization
On June 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (H.R. 2483) by a strong bipartisan vote of 366–57. The bill, which reauthorizes billions of dollars for critical programs that target overdose prevention, now heads to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where a version of the bill was overwhelmingly advanced with bipartisan support in the 118th Congress.
CMS increases oversight on states’ use of Medicaid funds for undocumented immigrants
On May 27, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it is increasing federal oversight of state Medicaid programs to ensure compliance with federal law regarding the use of Medicaid funds for undocumented immigrants.
New disaster recovery grants now open to support county economic development
The U.S. Economic Development Administration has launched the Fiscal Year 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program, making $1.45 billion available to help communities recover from natural disasters and build long-term economic resilience. Counties affected by major disaster declarations in 2023 or 2024 are eligible to apply for funding to rebuild infrastructure, strengthen local economies and prepare for future disruptions. This program goes beyond immediate recovery, aiming to transform local economies and foster sustainable, long-term economic growth.
