Thirteen communities across the country are receiving federal grant funding for mobile crisis response teams that will help police with mental health and substance-use crises, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS).
The HHS awarded the grants through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the agency announced May 25. The grants support President Joe Biden's goals to address the national mental-health crisis, build on the mobile crisis grants awarded last year, enhance the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, as well as additional measures taken to support crisis care, according to the announcement.
"Addressing the mental health crisis is a top priority of the Biden-Harris Administration, as part of President Biden’s Unity Agenda," HHS states in the news release. "The Administration has invested $3.8 billion through the American Rescue Plan and more than $800 million through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in SAMHSA grant programs as part of President Biden’s comprehensive effort to improve access to mental health care, prevent overdoses, and save lives."
Grant recipients are required to increase the capacity of their communities' crisis systems by providing post-crisis follow-up; develop and institute protocols for coordinating with law enforcement; provide evidence-based crisis training to first-responders; map out the community crisis systems; and improving use of data, according to the release.
"Taken together, these efforts ensure that people in crisis have timely access to trained mental health professionals and help ease the burden on law enforcement, strengthening public health, public safety, and public trust," the release states.
Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D, head of SAMHSA and HHS assistant secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, said in the release that expanding mobile-crisis response nationwide is "a big part of our efforts to achieve comprehensive, responsive crisis care services."
“Responding effectively to behavioral health crises in our communities will involve strong partnerships among first responders, community-based support services, and 988 Lifeline call centers,” Delphin-Rittmon said.
HHS has also recently announced more than $200 million in new funding opportunities for the 988 Lifeline "to improve and enhance local response and follow-up services."
“Everyone experiencing a mental health crisis in America should have access to rapidly responsive, culturally competent care,” HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra said in the news release. “These grants will further expand America’s crisis response system and get people the help they need.”
