Shaping Crisis Response Spotlight Series

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.

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.

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. 

On July 16, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act (HALT Fentanyl Act) (P.L. 119-26) was signed into law, marking a major turning point in the nation’s response to the opioid epidemic. The bipartisan legislation permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, granting law enforcement the authority to combat the growing threat posed by synthetic opioids. The law’s enactment follows years of temporary extensions that placed these substances under federal control on a provisional basis.  

As awareness of social isolation spreads, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Loudoun County, Va. Chair Phyllis Randall discuss the role of government in combatting the problem.

On June 20, NACo submitted formal comments to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to help shape the development of its 2026 National Drug Control Strategy. This strategy serves as the nation’s blueprint for reducing illicit drug use, and the ONDCP plays a central role in coordinating federal drug policy across government agencies.

Join us for an insightful webinar with the Ad Council as they share their best practices on leveraging public education to help counties tackle three urgent challenges: the mental health crisis, workforce development, and gun violence prevention.

In this webinar, we’ll explore how counties can harness behavioral health empower providers and community stakeholders to help streamline care collaboration and improve outcomes for the communities they serve.