In September, the Policy Department at Vibrant held a webinar for over 90 participants from crisis centers all over the country to learn more about Vibrant Policy and how to leverage their position using resources we've developed, including our new Action Center, Newsletter, Advocacy Toolkit, and video about protocols for meeting congressional staffers "Lobbying 101".

Click here to see the video of the webinar.

We'll be offering more of these informative, free opportunities to learn how to effectively advocate for your centers using our tools, tips, and tricks! For now, please check out our Action Center to sign up for our newsletter, get alerts, and find out how to contact your legislators!
 

This legislation implements a 988-telecom fee that will transform California's behavioral health crisis response system and save countless lives by expanding access to vital behavioral health resources all through the funding of 988. California is the fifth state (joining Colorado, Nevada, Virginia, and Washington) to pass 988 legislation with fee mechanisms.  

AB 988, or The Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act, introduces a small telephone surcharge, as permitted in federal 988 legislation, set at only $0.08 per line per month for the first two years with a lifetime cap of $0.30 per line per month, to fund the California crisis centers and mobile crisis teams. Read more about the bill here. 

For Tribal Communities: TWO Funding Opportunities STILL AVAILABLE (Deadlines SOON -- APPLY NOW)

https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-22-020

• Provide resources to improve response to 988 contacts (including calls, chats, and texts) originating in Tribal communities and/or activated by American Indians/Alaska Natives.
• Limited to federally recognized Indian Tribes and tribal organizations. Urban Indian Organizations are also eligible.
• Application Due Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2022

https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-22-018

• Develop a sustainable infrastructure for school-based mental health programs and services
• Eligible entities are States; political subdivisions of States (e.g., county, LEA); Indian tribes or tribal organizations (as defined in section 5304 of title 25), health facilities, or programs operated by or in accordance with a contract or grant with the Indian Health Service, or other domestic public or private nonprofit entities. 
• Application Due Date: Thursday, October 13, 2022

Two grant opportunities offered through the BSCA!

On October 3, the U.S. Department of Education announced the release of Notices Inviting Applications for two grant programs to increase access to mental health services for students and young people, totaling $280 million, funded through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) and the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations. The BSCA provided historic funding to help meet President Biden's goal of doubling the number of school-based mental health professionals and tackling the nation's mental health crisis.  

The Department of Health and Human Services announced this week that it was investing $27 million in pediatric mental health by funding training for pediatricians and other providers of children's healthcare in treating mental health conditions and expanding access to teleconsultation for these providers.  

School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program
The SBMH grant program provides competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs), Local educational agencies (LEAs), and consortia of LEAs to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental health service providers delivering school-based mental health services to students in LEAs with demonstrated need. The grant provides $144 million each year for 5 years, with an average award size of $1,750,000, ranging from $500,000 to $3,000,000 per year. The Department anticipates making up to 150 awards. Two technical assistance webinars for prospective applicants will be provided: one on October 11th, 2022, and one on October 19th, 2022, before the application deadline. Webinar information will be available here.  

Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program
The MHSP Demonstration grant program provides competitive grants to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and LEAs. The grant program aims to address a challenge facing districts and schools across the country: an insufficient supply of school-based mental health professionals to meet the needs of students. The partnerships must include (1) one or more high-need LEA or a SEA on behalf of one or more high-need LEA; and (2) one or more eligible institutions of higher education (IHE). These grants make available $143 million a year for 5 years, with an average award size of $800,000, ranging from $400,000 to $1,200,000 per year. The Department anticipates making up to 250 awards. Two technical assistance webinars for prospective applicants will be provided: one on October 12th, 2022, and one on October 18th, 2022, before the application deadline. Webinar information will be available here.  

After Launching National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health, HHS Releases Roadmap Based on Patient and Provider feedback

HHS, announced a behavioral health roadmap on behavioral health integration. 

Most of the announcement discusses grant programs issued by the Department to accomplish the following goals: 

• Strengthen system capacity
• Connect Americans to care
• Support Americans by creating healthy environments

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/09/16/after-launching-national-tour-strengthen-mental-health-hhs-releases-roadmap-based-on-patient-provider-feedback.html

HHS Awards $3 Million for Initiative to Promote Black Youth Mental Health

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/09/19/hhs-awards-3-million-for-initiative-to-promote-black-youth-mental-health.html

The US Dept. of Veterans Affairs releases data showing a decrease in Veteran Suicides and names suicide prevention grantees and finalists for the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program and Mission Daybreak

https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5823

Our Policy Department is often asked to collaborate to provide webinars to crisis centers and other mental health professionals, providing valuable resources for them to better advocate for themselves, connect them with funding opportunities, and develop tools and resources to help them do the important work they do saving lives each and every day.  

On 9/14, #AFSPadvocacy hosted "Supporting 988 Post-Launch Through Federal & State Advocacy." During this webinar, one of our Policy State Managers, Jordan Pantalone, spoke about the Lifeline principles, discussed the policies on involuntary emergency intervention, and outlined the Lifeline's continued efforts to improve operations, including the active rescue protocol.

On 11/2, in partnership with the Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP), Laura Evans, Director of National and State Policy, will be part of a panel addressing crisis response strategies, investment in 988 and other forms of crisis response, ways to break down silos affecting 988's rollout, and workforce challenges during their upcoming webinar on the 988 hotline.  Click here to register

In collaboration with The Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of New York, Vibrant Emotional Health is providing a summary of their most recently published (August 2022) Data Book, Cognitive and Behavioral Health in Later Life: New York State Demographic and Epidemiological Information.

This resource was written for policymakers, advocates, journalists, and others who are concerned about the mental well-being of older adults in New York State during the "elder boom", but could also be helpful to others elsewhere in the U.S. 

Lisa Furst, LMSW, MPH, Director of The Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of New York and Chief Program Officer at Vibrant Emotional Health, is one of the co-authors and explained that the book has been in publication for many years and is updated regularly.

People 65 years of age and older are living longer than ever, and as this population ages, they have encountered service shortages, limited access to services that exist, uneven quality of care, limited integration of services, limited continuity of care, workforce shortages, and more. This results in deeply rooted inequities for older adults living with behavioral health conditions, or avoidable and unjust differences in their behavioral and physical health outcomes. Additionally, many older New Yorkers live in environments that do not promote their safety and increase the likelihood of social isolation rather than social connection.

Keeping the pace and improving their care will depend on the availability of data to inform planning and policy development. This document is a step toward gathering the needed data.

Below are the main categories for the "Top Ten Important Things to Know" list, which summarizes the highlights which would be most helpful for the book's audience. 

Please click here for the complete list.

1. Demographics
2. Cognitive and Behavioral Health Problems of Later Life
3. Behavioral Health Conditions
4. Developmental Emotional Challenges of Old Age
5. What is Helpful?
6. Populations at High Risk of Cognitive and Behavioral Health Conditions
7. Projected Growth of Older Adults with Cognitive and /or Behavioral Health Conditions
8. Access to Quality Care and Treatments Remains Inadequate
9. Barriers for Care and Treatment 
10. An Agenda for Improved Cognitive and Behavioral Health Policy

In honor of National Suicide Prevention Month, Vibrant alongside U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D - VA) hosted a briefing for Congressional staff on September 21, 2022. Rep. Beyer is a Co-Chair of the Congressional Suicide Prevention Task Force. Vibrant and  Education Development Center (EDC) moderated the virtual briefing that was attended by over 80 participants. Panelists included Dr. John Palmieri of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Shye Louis of Vibrant Emotional Health, and Shari Sinwelski of Didi Hirsch. The briefing focused on the transition to the 988 Lifeline, the value of consistent and sustainable funding for the Lifeline, and local crisis centers in the Lifeline network. The need for Congressional action, including the passage of Lifeline Improvement Act, Campaign to Prevent Suicide Act, and 988 Implementation Act, were highlighted. Use Vibrant's Policy resources contact your Members of Congress or email policy@vibrant.org to share your experience with your policymakers. 

On 10/20, all CrisisCon22 attendees will be able to participate in "Legislation, Regulations, Oh My!: The 988 Policy Landscape and What Crisis Centers Need to Know".

In this session they will:

• Learn about the current landscape of crisis continuum policy discussions -- including federal and state legislation as well as regulatory initiatives such as serving marginalized populations, 911 coordination, and funding
• Identify strategies for effectively engaging in policy discussions
• Discover how to utilize existing policy tools to amplify and advance crisis centers' public policy priorities

If you are attending CrisisCon22, please be sure to introduce yourself to a member of our Policy team, and we can help you advocate for your center.

The Policy Team is excited to announce the launch of our monthly newsletter. It coincides with the availability of new online resources created for individuals or organizations looking for legislative information to empower them to advocate for change. 

To access previous newsletter issues, please click here.

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