9–8–8 and Parity Assistance Act of 2022

9-8-8 and Parity Assistance Act of 2022

This bill modifies provisions to increase access to behavioral health services, with a focus on crisis services and the 9-8-8 telecommunication system. (The 9-8-8 system provides callers with mental health or suicide crisis support and resources through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and is scheduled to take effect by July 16, 2022.)

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) must award grants to crisis call centers for hiring and training staff and otherwise improving operations.

Further, SAMHSA must establish standards for a behavioral health crisis continuum of care that health care providers and communities may use in responding to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The continuum must include emergency treatment, stabilization, and related services.

Additionally, the bill (1) sets up an office within SAMHSA to coordinate behavioral health activities, (2) requires a national suicide prevention media campaign, and (3) establishes various grants. The grants include

• a pilot program for mobile crisis care teams that respond to behavioral health crises rather than law enforcement,
• a capital improvement program for certain behavioral health facilities, and
• a program for supporting the implementation of federal mental health parity provisions that require health insurance issuers to provide equivalent coverage for mental health services as they provide for medical and surgical services.

The bill also expands certain behavioral health education and training programs to encompass education and training related to crisis management.