Reps. Carter, Matsui Introduce the 988 Crisis Workforce Response Act for Suicide Prevention Month

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In honor of Suicide Prevention Month, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (D-LA) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced the 988 Crisis Workforce Response Act. This legislation builds on existing behavioral health workforce training programs at the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to include trained crisis professionals, improving recruitment and retention efforts for these critical members of the behavioral health care team.

"America is not only experiencing a mental health crisis - but a severe mental health workforce shortage," said Congressman Carter. "Every year, millions of Americans rely on the 988 Crisis Line to connect them to care, to specialists, and to hope. But without a properly trained and substantial workforce, individuals with mental health needs aren't getting the care they deserve. This commonsense legislation will ensure that our behavioral health professionals have the support and resources necessary to continue providing care to those who need it."

"When someone calls 988, they are often reaching out on one of the hardest days of their life. We need to make sure there is a trained professional ready to answer that call and help them through what comes next," said Congresswoman Matsui. "I'm proud to partner with Congressman Carter on this impactful legislative effort to build the behavioral health workforce communities need and turn 988 from a number people can call into a system that can truly respond when someone is in crisis."

Background

Nationwide, 137 million Americans live in a Mental Health Professional Service Area, and many states specifically report they have a shortage of crisis care providers. Without dedicated recruitment and retention programs, we will continue to fall short of the workforce needs for a robust crisis care continuum.

The 988 Crisis Response Workforce Act builds on existing behavioral health workforce training programs at the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to include trained crisis professionals, improving recruitment and retention efforts for these critical members of the behavioral health care team.

Specifically, this bill:

• Directs the Secretary to collect data on the availability and shortage of crisis response professionals and facilities.
• Creates a $10 million pilot program to train professionals who provide crisis management services, including those delivered at crisis call centers, as part of a mobile crisis response team, or through a crisis receiving and stabilization program, as part of the Minority Fellowship Program,
• Authorizes $10 million to add crisis workforce training programs as part of the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program.

The 988 Crisis Workforce Response Act was included in a larger 988 package - the 988 Implementation Act, which was introduced earlier this month. The 988 Implementation Act is cosponsored by Congressmembers Doris Matsui (CA-07), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Troy Carter (LA-02), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Don Beyer (VA-08), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Becca Balint (VT-AL), and Kim Schrier (WA-08). The comprehensive legislative package will provide states with federal resources to build the crisis response infrastructure behind the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Read the full bill text here.

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