Technical Assistance to Develop an Evidence-Based Continuum of Crisis Care
Americans across the lifespan are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. The burden of this crisis has been born by healthcare, law enforcement, education and social service systems in communities across the country. Federal efforts to address the crisis have been multifaceted. Section 9813 of the American Rescue Plan of 2021 authorized state Medicaid programs to receive an enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for expenditures on qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established two Section 1115 demonstration opportunities to expand access to residential and inpatient treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) or mental illness. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) established the National Guidelines for Behavioral Crisis Care. The Federal Communications Commission established rules for the 988 system. In addition, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 established Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers as an optional Medicaid State Plan Benefit.
States seeking to establish a robust, coordinated system of care to help individuals in crisis must navigate a complex landscape to establish coverage across payor sources and between systems of care. Section 5124 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (CAA, 2023; P.L. 117-328) directs CMS and SAMHSA to develop guidance to promote access to the continuum of crisis care in Medicaid and CHIP and to establish a technical assistance center to help states develop an evidence-based continuum of crisis care.
Technical assistance focuses on enabling states to address gaps in their Behavioral Health Coordinated Systems of Crisis Care (BHCSCC) to ensure that individuals experiencing behavioral health crises receive timely, coordinated, and effective care. We offer technical assistance to states through the National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTAC). For questions or feedback, please contact us at CrisisTACenter@cms.hhs.gov
Services Provided by the Technical Assistance Center
The National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) provides tailored support, practical tools, and opportunities for collaboration through webinars, peer learning forums, written resources, and state-specific coaching. The NTAC will also compile a Compendium of Best Practices that synthesizes evidence-based models, state examples, and actionable strategies for implementing a continuum of crisis care.
Contact Us for Help
We offer states technical assistance through the NTAC. If you have questions or feedback, please contact us at CrisisTACenter@cms.hhs.gov