Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions Public Comment
The public comment period is now closed.
Public Comment Process
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is welcoming public comments on the draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions.
SAMHSA developed the draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions document for state, territory, Tribal, and local entities; crisis services providers; public and private payers; regulators; and help seekers and their supporters to clarify and distinguish the different types of crisis services for people across the nation.
Interested people are invited to submit written comments for these draft definitions from Thursday, November 21, 2024, through Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET
SAMHSA is broadly asking positive, neutral, and negative feedback for this draft document in areas such as clarity, consistency, comparison with current practices, implementation feasibility, and/or concerns with the standards.
If there are any additional questions, please email comment@988crisisttac.org.
Background
SAMHSA conducted a multi-pronged process to develop the draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions as part of a broader suite of crisis response related publications. The steps in that process were:
- SAMHSA conducted an environmental scan regarding the various crisis services at certain locations across the U.S. that included how states and communities were defining and setting standards for services.
- SAMHSA researched additional state standards and regulations, crisis services best and promising practices, and visited crisis programs to understand the landscape of crisis services and develop draft crisis definitions.
- Representatives from state, tribal, and local governments; provider associations; public and private payers; behavioral health crisis researchers; and individuals with lived experience with mental health and substance use challenges reviewed iterations of these documents.
- SAMHSA presented the draft definitions at multiple workgroup convenings and hosted listening sessions to gain further input on the current challenges with crisis continuum development due to the inconsistency of crisis definitions and proposed solutions for a uniform crisis services terminology.
The Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions Document
This draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions document is presented in accordance with the underlying principles of crisis care and SAMHSA’s three essential elements of crisis response and the service types included in each element:
Someone To Contact: 988 and Other Behavioral Health Lines
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline;
- Other Behavioral Health Crisis Hotlines;
- Peer Operated Warmlines; and
- Emotional Support Lines.
Someone to Respond: Mobile Crisis and Outreach Services
- Behavioral Health Provider-Only Mobile Crisis Teams;
- Co-Responder Mobile Crisis Teams;
- Mobile Response and Stabilization Services; and
- Community Outreach Teams.
A Safe Place for Help: Crisis Stabilization Services
- Hospital-Based Behavioral Health Emergency Units;
- High-Intensity Behavioral Health Emergency Centers;
- High-Intensity Behavioral Health Extended Stabilization Centers;
- Medium-Intensity Behavioral Health Crisis Centers;
- Medium-Intensity Behavioral Health Extended Stabilization Centers;
- High-Intensity Crisis Residential Programs;
- Medium-Intensity Crisis Residential Programs;
- Behavioral Health Urgent Care;
- Peer Crisis Respite;
- Sobering Centers; and
- Children, Youth, & Families:
- In-Home Stabilization, and
- Youth & Family Crisis Respite.
Each of the services listed above has a section in the Definitions document that provides detail for the following elements: Service Type/Description; Distinguishing Features; Recommended Service Elements; Care Coordination/Follow-Up; Eligibility Criteria; Exclusionary Criteria; Discharge Criteria; Modality; Setting/Care Environment; Provider Type; Staffing Recommendations and Credentialing; Core Competency Recommendations; Suggested Data Elements, Metrics, and Quality Measures; and Optional Service Enhancements.
Links:
Draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions
Questions? Email the Crisis Systems Response Training and Technical Assistance Center at comment@988crisisttac.org