§290bb–37 Mental Health Crisis Response Partnership Pilot Program

Summary

The Secretary must create a pilot program that gives competitive grants to States, localities, territories, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations. The grants will help start or improve mobile crisis response teams so people having mental health or substance use crises are helped by health teams instead of mainly by law enforcement. A mobile crisis team is a group that goes to or meets people in crisis to stabilize them, connect them with community treatment, or send them to higher medical care if needed. Team members can include counselors, social workers, doctors, paramedics, crisis workers, peer supporters, or other qualified people. Teams may also help move calls from 9-1-1 to 9-8-8. Grant applications that focus on children and families, veterans, rural and underserved areas, and groups at higher risk of suicide or overdose will be given priority. The Secretary must report to Congress by September 30, 2024 about steps taken before December 29, 2022 to build partnerships among health providers and first responders. Starting one year after the first grant and every year after, the Secretary must report grant results, including who was served, service use, linkages and diversions from police or emergency rooms, evaluation data, best practices, and improvement ideas. Up to $10,000,000 is authorized each year for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.