§290bb–37 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

§290bb–37 Mental health crisis response partnership pilot program

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 6A— - PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III–A— - SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION › Part Part B— - Centers and Programs › Subpart subpart 3— - center for mental health services › § 290bb–37

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must set up a pilot program that gives competitive grants to States, localities, territories, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations. The money will create or improve mobile crisis response teams so people having mental health or substance use crises get help from those teams instead of police. A mobile crisis team is a group that can respond quickly, stabilize people, make referrals, and send someone to a higher level of care if needed. Teams can include counselors, social workers, doctors, paramedics, crisis workers, peer supporters, or other qualified staff, and can help move calls from 9-1-1 to 9-8-8. Grant awards must prioritize children and families, veterans, rural and underserved areas, and other high-risk groups. The Secretary must report to Congress by September 30, 2024 about steps taken before December 29, 2022, and then yearly after the first grant. Annual reports must show who was served, service use and outcomes, data for quality checks, best practices, and suggested improvements. Congress authorized $10,000,000 each year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

Title 42, §290bb–37

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall establish a pilot program under which the Secretary will award competitive grants to States, localities, territories, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations to establish new, or enhance existing, mobile crisis response teams that divert the response for mental health and substance use disorder crises from law enforcement to mobile crisis teams, as described in subsection (b).

(b)A mobile crisis team, for purposes of this section, is a team of individuals—

(1)that is available to respond to individuals in mental health and substance use disorder crises and provide immediate stabilization, referrals to community-based mental health and substance use disorder services and supports, and triage to a higher level of care if medically necessary;

(2)which may include licensed counselors, clinical social workers, physicians, paramedics, crisis workers, peer support specialists, or other qualified individuals; and

(3)which may provide support to divert mental health and substance use disorder crisis calls from the 9–1–1 system to the 9–8–8 system.

(c)In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize applications which account for the specific needs of the communities to be served, including children and families, veterans, rural and underserved populations, and other groups at increased risk of death from suicide or overdose.

(d)(1)Not later than September 30, 2024, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on steps taken by States, localities, territories, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations prior to December 29, 2022, to strengthen the partnerships among mental health providers, substance use disorder treatment providers, primary care physicians, mental health and substance use disorder crisis teams, paramedics, law enforcement officers, and other first responders.

(2)Not later than one year after the date on which the first grant is awarded to carry out this section, and for each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the grants made during the year covered by the report, which shall include—

(A)impact data on the teams and people served by such programs, including demographic information of individuals served, volume, and types of service utilization;

(B)outcomes of the number of linkages made to community-based resources or short-term crisis receiving and stabilization facilities, as applicable, and diversion from law enforcement or hospital emergency department settings;

(C)data consistent with the State block grant requirements for continuous evaluation and quality improvement, and other relevant data as determined by the Secretary;

(D)identification and, where appropriate, recommendations of best practices from States and localities providing mobile crisis response and stabilization services for youth and adults; and

(E)identification of any opportunities for improvements to the program established under this section.

(e)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022—Pub. L. 117–328 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section provided for competitive grants to enhance community-based crisis response systems or to develop, maintain, or enhance a database of beds at mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities. 2016—Pub. L. 114–255 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section provided for grants to support the designation of hospitals and health centers as Emergency Mental Health Centers.