Bill Overview
Title: Community Mental Health Services Block Grant Reauthorization Act
Description: This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 support for crisis care available under the Community Mental Services Block Grant program for adults with serious mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbances. The bill also requires states and territories to expend a certain percentage of their grant funds on evidence-based crisis care activities such as crisis call centers, 24/7 mobile crisis services, and crisis stabilization programs in hospitals or other licensed facilities.
Sponsors: Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals with serious mental illnesses and serious emotional disturbances
Estimated Size: 15000000
- The bill targets adults with serious mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbances.
- Serious mental illness refers to mental health disorders that severely impact one's day-to-day life, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.
- The bill covers crisis care, so it is likely to impact individuals currently experiencing or at risk of experiencing a mental health crisis.
- State and territory compliance with the grant funding requirements will determine the number of impacted individuals.
- Global prevalence of serious mental illnesses is estimated to be around 3-4% of the population.
Reasoning
- The policy is aimed at individuals with serious mental illnesses and serious emotional disturbances which represent about 5% of the US adult population and can be a smaller percentage of children.
- Given the budget constraints of the policy, the number of people directly impacted will depend on how efficiently states and territories use their grants.
- The policy's focus on evidence-based crisis care implies that these services should fairly rapidly affect the wellbeing of those accessing them due to better crisis management.
- The reauthorization can potentially improve the accessibility and quality of mental health crisis support across multiple states and territories, which could have a significant positive impact on the wellbeing of many affected individuals.
- We should expect individuals currently in crisis or frequently experiencing crises to report significant changes in their wellbeing under this policy.
Simulated Interviews
Unemployed (Chicago, IL)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often feel overwhelmed and need immediate help during my crises.
- 24/7 mobile crisis services could be a lifeline for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Farmer (Rural Texas)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Living in a rural area makes accessing timely mental health care hard.
- Crisis stabilization programs in hospitals would make a big difference.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
High School Student (Portland, OR)
Age: 15 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's scary not knowing who to call when I'm in crisis.
- More crisis centers in my area would be so helpful.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Software Engineer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry about my kids having a crisis one day.
- Knowing there's a 24/7 support available is reassuring.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Data Analyst (New York City, NY)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Crisis services in NYC are stretched thin.
- Having more resources could quickly help me cope better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Homeless (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 2
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rarely find help when I need it the most.
- If these new programs reach out more, it might give me hope.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 2 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I manage most times, but sometimes a crisis hits hard.
- More accessible services would be a blessing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
College Student (Detroit, MI)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope these new services are extended to college campuses.
- Immediate help during a panic attack would reduce my stress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Full-time Parent (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Managing crises has been tough on our family.
- Knowing there are better resources gives us hope.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Social Worker (Seattle, WA)
Age: 41 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could fill major gaps I see daily.
- More services mean my clients will get help faster and more effectively.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $600000000 (Low: $550000000, High: $650000000)
Year 2: $630000000 (Low: $580000000, High: $680000000)
Year 3: $660000000 (Low: $610000000, High: $710000000)
Year 5: $740000000 (Low: $680000000, High: $800000000)
Year 10: $900000000 (Low: $810000000, High: $990000000)
Year 100: $2000000000 (Low: $1800000000, High: $2200000000)
Key Considerations
- The effectiveness of the evidence-based crisis care could significantly influence the policy's outcomes.
- States' existing crisis care infrastructure impacts the additional cost burden and implementation speed.
- The accessibility and outreach of the program can impact the number of individuals benefiting from crisis services.