Bill Overview
Title: Mental Health Justice and Parity Act of 2022
Description: This bill creates a grant program for mental health first responder units. It also eliminates a provision that permits nonfederal government health insurance plans that are self-funded to opt out of requirements to provide parity between coverage of medical services and mental health services. Specifically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) must award grants to states and local governments to train and dispatch mental health professionals to respond, instead of law enforcement officers, to emergencies that involve people with behavioral health needs. SAMHSA must manage the program in consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ). SAMHSA may cancel grants that increase incarceration or institutionalization. Grantees must use funds for purposes including de-escalation and anti-racism training. The Department of Health and Human Services and the DOJ must evaluate this program.
Sponsors: Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-45]
Target Audience
Population: People experiencing mental health crises and those using government health insurance plans.
Estimated Size: 60000000
- The bill addresses mental health services, specifically targeting those with behavioral health needs who might otherwise come into contact with law enforcement.
- The grant program is specifically aimed at states and local governments, suggesting that it impacts individuals within those jurisdictions.
- By providing mental health responders instead of police, people experiencing mental health crises will be directly impacted.
- The opt-out provision is removed for nonfederal self-funded government health insurance plans, suggesting an impact on beneficiaries of these plans.
- Service providers such as mental health professionals and their training programs will also be influenced, as there are requirements for training in de-escalation and anti-racism.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily focuses on states and local governments, directly impacting individuals living in those jurisdictions. This is important to consider as it might not affect all citizens equally.
- Since the policy aims at providing mental health responders instead of law enforcement officers, it will most directly affect people experiencing mental health crises.
- People who now benefit equally from medical and mental health service coverage, due to the policy's changes, should also be interviewed.
- The program's scope, within the confines of budget limitations, should be kept in check to reflect different societal areas, including urban and rural regions.
- Given these factors, we'll consider different scenarios to ensure a balanced outlook on how this new policy may affect various segments of the population.
Simulated Interviews
Nurse (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy sounds promising, especially with more mental health professionals responding to crises. I've seen the gap that currently exists.
- Parity in insurance is great news—many still struggle to get the mental help they need due to coverage.
- Being in a medical profession, the training aspect seems vital to effective implementation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Police Officer (Des Moines, IA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Shifting responses from police to mental health professionals could free up law enforcement to handle crime issues.
- Curious about effectiveness, especially during high-risk situations.
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 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Social Worker (Portland, OR)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill is a step forward in supporting mental health interventions and not criminalizing mental health crises.
- Training and hiring will be critical—are there enough resources to back this policy effectively?
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 6 |
Tech Industry Professional (Austin, TX)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Mental health parity is crucial. I've been blocked from certain services before due to coverage issues.
- If my current plan improves, that will be a huge life change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Farmer (Rural Kentucky)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Not sure if this policy will reach out here; we have a different reality in rural areas.
- More coverage would surely help, but we've been promises like this before.
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 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired School Teacher (New York, NY)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My plan's coverage for mental health has been lacking; this is a welcomed change.
- Remains to be seen how effectively this is executed at scale.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Graduate Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to mental health services has been vital for me.
- Ensuring continued access and parity will be key for people like me.
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 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 7 |
Retired (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 68 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Better mental health access is needed in our community.
- Unsure about execution; past initiatives haven't always worked out.
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 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Mental Health Counselor (Seattle, WA)
Age: 37 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Direct involvement is beneficial; teams need proper training and resources.
- Collaboration with law enforcement and community is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Factory Worker (Detroit, MI)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Seems like a positive move if it means better access to services.
- Many people like me fall through the gaps.
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 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1000000000 (Low: $750000000, High: $1250000000)
Year 2: $1050000000 (Low: $787500000, High: $1312500000)
Year 3: $1100000000 (Low: $825000000, High: $1375000000)
Year 5: $1200000000 (Low: $900000000, High: $1500000000)
Year 10: $1300000000 (Low: $975000000, High: $1625000000)
Year 100: $1500000000 (Low: $1125000000, High: $1875000000)
Key Considerations
- Coordination between SAMHSA and DOJ is crucial for program success.
- The financial commitment requires balancing new expenditures with anticipated savings in law enforcement and healthcare systems.
- Potential resistance from stakeholders accustomed to traditional law enforcement responses to mental health issues.