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.

 

Related News

bike
Advocacy

The Michelle Alyssa Go Act: Why Reforming the IMD Exclusion Matters for County Behavioral Health

Reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2025, the bipartisan Michelle Alyssa Go Act (H.R. 5462) aims to modernize the IMD exclusion and expand access to care.

After completing the Okeechobee High School CTE Fire Program, Braxton Lewis (pictured in the middle) was offered a job with Fire Rescue. Photo courtsey of Okeechobee County
County News

Rural county program preps students for first responder careers

Okeechobee County, Fla.’s public safety career programs are giving young people the tools to jumpstart their careers and helping address the county’s workforce shortages in fire rescue, dispatch and law enforcement. 

2192555956-
Advocacy

CMS issues guidance on six-month Medicaid renewals

On March 6, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a letter to State Medicaid Directors with implementation guidance on six-month Medicaid renewals required under H.R. 1. 

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. discusses health issues Feb. 24 at the NACo Legislative Conference at the Washington Hilton. Photo by Denny Henry
County News

HHS Secretary Kennedy touts fixes for obesity, chronic illness, mental health issues

Counties can help improve health outcomes by prioritizing prevention over treatment, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told NACo Legislative Conference attendees.

Matthew Vigeant addresses the Justice and Public Safety Policy Steering Committee Feb. 21. Photo by Denny Henry
County News

Information-sharing bill could protect court workers

The Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act could provide more than 30,000 state and local judges with access to security assessments, best practices and a database of threats made against colleagues in the justice field.

Crews collect debris. As of Feb. 10, Lafayette County, Miss. collected 90,000 cubic yards of debris. Photo courtesy of Beau Moore
County News

After historic winter storms, counties assess response

Counties in states that rarely receive much winter weather are assessing their responses to the January storm that left many covered in snow and ice.