Emergency & Crisis Response
Response to individuals experiencing mental health or substance use emergencies varies dramatically across the United States. Calling 911 has long been the default response, which can lead to inappropriate treatment and negative outcomes. We must create new systems, including but not limited to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, to better serve Americans throughout the entire continuum of mental health and substance use care.
Browse the Featured Recommendations
Make mobile crisis services mandatory under Medicaid
Congress should make mobile crisis services mandatory under Medicaid. At a minimum, these services should be made a permanent state option available to states eligible for enhanced federal Medicaid match funding.[1]
Topics
Ensure essential health benefits parity compliance
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should fix its currently flawed implementation of Essential Health Benefits (EHB) for mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD), which results in large coverage gaps for key services and allows many state benchmark plans to be in blatant violation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act’s (MHPAEA) requirements.[1]
Topics
Align SUD protections with HIPAA
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must finalize strong regulations to align privacy protections for substance use disorder (SUD) patient recommendations with protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Congress previously passed legislation to address problems caused by a provision of federal law – 42 CFR Part 2 – that has inhibited the integration of SUD care with mental health and physical health care.[1]
Topics
Establish a single global payment for mobile crisis response
Congress should require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish a single global payment under the Physician Fee Schedule for mobile crisis response team services for Medicare beneficiaries experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder (MH/SUD) crisis. A bipartisan group of Senate Finance Committee members has supported this important step.[1]
Topics
Ensure hospital compliance with EMTALA
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) should issue guidance to hospitals on their obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) to stabilize and treat individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD), and Congress should provide financial resources to incentivize hospitals to hire appropriate staff for their emergency departments[1]
Topics
Promote the director of ONDCP to presidential cabinet
The President should elevate the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), which sits within the White House and oversees U.S. drug and substance use policy across 19 federal departments and agencies, to a cabinet-level position. Congress should also amend ONDCP’s authorizing statute to integrate mental health into the structure of the Office.