Bill Overview
Title: Mental Health Justice Act of 2022
Description: This bill creates a grant program for states, tribal entities, 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. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) must manage the program in consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ). SAMHSA may cancel grants that increase incarceration or institutionalization. The Department of Health and Human Services and DOJ must evaluate this program.
Sponsors: Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-45]
Target Audience
Population: People with behavioral health needs during emergencies
Estimated Size: 66000000
- The primary population impacted includes individuals with behavioral health needs, especially those who might require emergency response services.
- The legislation will also affect mental health professionals who will be engaged in the new emergency response roles.
- The grant program involves states, tribal entities, and local governments, which means populations in those jurisdictions will experience changes in emergency response procedures.
- Law enforcement officers will indirectly be affected due to changes in their roles concerning behavioral health emergencies.
- Anyone with a potential or existing behavioral health crisis in areas implementing the program might be impacted due to changed response protocols.
Reasoning
- The Mental Health Justice Act of 2022 aims to improve response to behavioral health emergencies, likely impacting individuals with mental health needs and those who might require emergency services. Thus, the primary focus is on these individuals and mental health professionals trained under the program.
- A significant portion of the population might not feel the direct impact unless they rely on emergency services during a crisis. This population might only be indirectly affected by witnessing overall improvements in community health services.
- Given the budget constraints, the initial rollout would likely target areas with higher incidents of behavioral health emergencies. Urban centers, with typically higher population density, might be prioritized, potentially leaving rural areas with less immediate impact.
- The timeline suggests a gradual impact improvement over 20 years, with initial gains in wellbeing potentially modest as the program scales up and training improves.
- Cost constraints mean not all regions will immediately see the program implemented, influencing our selection of interviewees to include both those directly impacted and those observing changes.
Simulated Interviews
Social Worker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having mental health professionals instead of police for emergencies will be more effective.
- Clients should feel safer and better understood in crises.
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 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Police Officer (Austin, TX)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might help reduce conflicts in mental health situations.
- Could change how we approach crisis calls significantly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Mental Health Advocate (Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Finally, we are addressing the issue with more appropriate interventions.
- I hope this reduces stigma around mental health.
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 |
Recent College Graduate (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I would feel more comfortable knowing someone understands mental health in a crisis.
- It might prevent me from hesitating to call for help.
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 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Public Health Official (Dover, DE)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could integrate well with existing health services.
- Expecting a long-term improvement in community health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Nurse (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Emergency rooms might face less pressure with better mental health support in the field.
- Hope it leads to better patient outcomes overall.
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 | 8 | 6 |
School Counselor (Denver, CO)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Invaluable to schools facing mental health challenges.
- It's essential we coordinate with these professionals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Community Development Worker (Rural Alabama)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Without adequate funding, rural areas might be left behind.
- However, this could inspire more local mental health initiatives.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Software Engineer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A vital improvement, making real-time help possible.
- We can see great collaboration between sectors.
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 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Paramedic (Las Vegas, NV)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our work may shift, allowing us to focus more on physical health emergencies.
- Community needs should dictate resources allocation effectively.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $75000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $90000000)
Year 2: $80000000 (Low: $65000000, High: $95000000)
Year 3: $85000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $100000000)
Year 5: $100000000 (Low: $85000000, High: $115000000)
Year 10: $120000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $140000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The grant program's success depends on effective recruitment and training of mental health professionals.
- Implementation variance across states and local jurisdictions may affect outcomes and costs.
- Coordination between SAMHSA, DOJ, and local emergency systems is crucial to adapt to current response frameworks.
- The complexity of legal adjustments underlying the change of responder roles needs careful management.