Bill Overview
Title: CONNECT Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to award grants to certain crisis centers for providing follow-up care to individuals who receive suicide prevention and crisis intervention services.
Sponsors: Rep. Trone, David J. [D-MD-6]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals who receive suicide prevention and crisis intervention services
Estimated Size: 12000000
- The bill focuses on providing grants to crisis centers that offer suicide prevention and crisis intervention services.
- Suicide prevention and crisis intervention services could target individuals experiencing mental health crises, which can include people of all ages and backgrounds.
- Globally, mental health issues are a major concern, with millions of individuals affected by suicidal ideation each year.
- A significant portion of the global population may face mental health challenges that could lead them to use crisis intervention services.
Reasoning
- The CONNECT Act targets individuals who receive suicide prevention and crisis intervention services. These individuals may face significant mental health struggles, such as severe depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation.
- The policy aims to enhance crisis centers to provide follow-up care, which is vital for ensuring long-term wellness and reducing future crises.
- Given the budget, the policy might not cover all individuals in need initially, especially in its early stages.
- While mental health issues can affect anyone, some populations are more vulnerable, including low-income individuals, veterans, and adolescents.
- The population modeled includes a spread of individuals already receiving crisis intervention services since these are the target beneficiaries of the new grant-funded initiatives.
- We include a mix of individuals whose wellbeing might benefit directly from the policy, those who might not be significantly impacted, and those for whom the policy might not apply.
Simulated Interviews
Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 20 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having more support from crisis centers would help me feel more secure after tough times.
- Right now, I feel like I'm on my own after I call for help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Software engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Expanded services could mean I get better follow-up care—not just a one-time intervention.
- I've had experiences where after treatment, there's little to no follow-up which worries me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Freelance artist (New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's hard not having family support, so knowing someone is there to follow up would be huge.
- Community centers do what they can, but resources are always stretched thin.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Retired (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems focused on young people and those in urban areas, not sure how much it will reach retirees.
- I'd appreciate more consistent care, especially with my PTSD challenges.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Call center representative (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If I could get a consistent check-in after I call, it'd be a little less scary figuring things out.
- I fear falling through the cracks when things get too tough.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Mechanic (Houston, TX)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The more support I can get when I'm struggling, the better my chances of staying sober.
- Follow-up services could keep me from going back to a dark place.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Elementary school teacher (Boston, MA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Enhanced crisis care would make it easier to get through the worst periods.
- Knowing someone will follow up could greatly ease my stress.
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 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
High school student (Detroit, MI)
Age: 18 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having someone consistently check in would make a huge difference for my mental state.
- I often feel like no one really cares what happens to me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Waitress (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this make me hopeful because more follow-up could mean managing my symptoms better.
- Without follow-up, it feels like I'm just putting out fires one at a time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Farmer (Rural Kansas)
Age: 35 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried rural areas like mine won't get as much benefit as cities.
- Plan sounds promising if the resources can reach out here—in follow-ups and in-person help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $350000000)
Year 2: $320000000 (Low: $270000000, High: $370000000)
Year 3: $340000000 (Low: $290000000, High: $390000000)
Year 5: $380000000 (Low: $330000000, High: $430000000)
Year 10: $450000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $500000000)
Year 100: $600000000 (Low: $550000000, High: $650000000)
Key Considerations
- The sustainability of funding is critical to ensure continuous support for follow-up care services.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of follow-up care grants in preventing suicide and other crises will be essential to justify the expenditures.
- Ensuring equitable distribution of funds across diverse geographic and demographic areas to maximize the bill's reach and impact.