The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) released a publication examining state legislation passed in 2023 aimed at reimagining the mental health crisis response system. The brief recognizes the second anniversary of 988’s nationwide availability and highlights concerning trends: too often, people experiencing a mental health crisis do not receive a mental health response. Instead, people in crisis often encounter law enforcement and crowded emergency rooms rather than a mental health professional.
Since 2015, 1 in 5 fatal police shootings have involved a person in a mental health crisis. The publication highlights state legislation passed in 2023 working to address this gap in the crisis response system, with policy recommendations implementable across the country within key categories including 988 monthly phone fee and sustainable funding, crisis response appropriations, insurance coverage of crisis care, and studies of 988 and crisis systems.
The brief is part of NAMI’s larger 2023 State Legislation Issue Brief Series, which examines new mental health laws from 2023 addressing criminal justice, access to care, and youth mental health.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.nami.org/research/publications-reports/public-policy-reports/2023-state-legislation-issue-brief-series-trends-in-state-policy-988-and-reimagining-crisis-response/