Shaping Crisis Response Spotlight Series
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The National Association of Counties (NACo), in collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts and RAND, hosted a series of conversations with county leaders to understand the progress, challenges and lessons learned from 911/988 interoperability across various models, including embedded clinicians, call transfer and co-located response. This series will spotlight the work of five of the innovative counties shaping crisis response systems.
Douglas County, Kan.
- County Seat: Lawrence, Kan.
- Population: 118,785
Douglas County, Kan. exemplifies how investment in local systems and human service partnerships can streamline behavioral health care within communities.
Durham County, N.C.
- County Seat: Durham
- Population: 324,833
Durham County leverages a strategic partnership with the City of Durham to create a community-driven vision for public safety and crisis response.
Los Angeles County, Calif.
- County Seat: Los Angeles, Calif.
- Population: 10,014,009
Los Angeles (LA) County is the most populous county in the United States, with over 10 million residents, 70 public safety answering points (PSAP) centers and 80 law enforcement agencies, making the integration of 988 and 911 a challenge.
Travis County, Texas
- County Seat: Austin
- Population: 1,290,188
Travis County’s commitment to transforming behavioral health care into a readily available emergency resource is apparent the minute 911 dispatchers ask, “Are you calling for police, fire, EMS or mental health services?”
Pima County, Ariz.
- County Seat: Tucson, Ariz.
- Population: 1,043,433
Pima County serves as a leader in crisis response by becoming one of the first communities in the country to embed clinicians within their 911 operating system.
Webinar
Building and Supporting Comprehensive Behavioral Health Crisis Response Systems
In this panel discussion, experts and county leaders will discuss the role of 988 in building and supporting comprehensive behavioral health care systems.
Michelle Alyssa Go Act reintroduced in the 119th Congress, a critical step for county behavioral health systems
On September 18, the Michelle Alyssa Go Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation aims to increase the number of federal Medicaid-eligible in-patient psychiatric beds from 16 to 36, providing critical support for individuals seeking treatment for mental health and substance use disorders.
County Countdown – October 6, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features a federal shutdown FAQ, overdose prevention funding and more.
Congress passes SUPPORT Act reauthorization
On September 18, the U.S. Senate passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (SUPPORT Act Reauthorization) (H.R. 2483) by voice vote, following House passage earlier this year. With strong bipartisan backing in both chambers, the legislation now heads to the President’s desk for signature.
MAHA Commission releases federal strategy outlining next steps in childhood chronic disease prevention
On September 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s new Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, following the earlier MAHA Report published in May 2025. The strategy builds on the assessment’s findings regarding four key drivers of childhood chronic disease: poor diet, chemical exposure, lack of physical activity and chronic stress and overmedicalization.
CMS announces grant awards to improve the continuity of care for justice-involved individuals
On September 27, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced $106.5 million in state planning grants aimed at improving healthcare continuity for individuals transitioning from incarceration.
SAMHSA releases new 2024 data on rates of mental illness and substance use disorder in the U.S.
On July 28, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the findings of its annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which provides data on rates of substance use and mental illness at the national, state and local level.
Allocating Opioid Settlement Funds for Lasting Community Benefit: How Counties Use Stage CARES to Strengthen Transparency, Accountability, and Compliance
Participants will gain practical strategies and real-world examples of how counties are partnering with Stage CARES to enhance transparency, strengthen coordination, and sustain impact and benefits in their communities’ opioid response.
Featured Initiative
NACo Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing
(2023-2024) Counties increasingly handle direct mental health service. NACo’s Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing developed reports and united county leaders to address the mental health crisis through key policy priorities.
