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Heavy lake-effect snow dumps more than 5 feet over parts of Great Lakes region; Study: Fish farms consume far more wild fish than previously thought; Maryland's federal workers prepare to defend their jobs; Federal investments help bolster MA workforce training programs.

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A plan described as the basis for Trump's mass deportations served a very different purpose. Federal workers prepare to defend their jobs if they lose civil service protections, and Ohio enacts bathroom restrictions on transgender people.

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Residents in Colorado's rural communities face challenges to recycling, climate change and Oregon's megadrought are worrying firefighters, and a farm advocacy group says corporate greed is behind high food prices in Montana.

Report: AL needs more support to increase access to crisis care

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Monday, July 8, 2024   

Alabama's crisis response needs some improvements to expand its coverage and effectiveness, according to a new report.

The mental health policy group Inseparable looked at 988 crisis lifeline responses by state and suggested ways to enhance them.

In Alabama, it said the 988 call centers have received more than 54,000 calls, just since March but the state's call capacity is only at 75%, below the target of 90%.

Kim Boswell, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health, said efforts are underway to boost the resource.

"The good news is that the Opioid Commission appropriated $3 million to help us with the call center capacity," Boswell pointed out. "I feel like with the $3 million, we will get to our 90% goal of calls being answered in-state."

She noted the crisis system has improved access to care since its launch. It has diverted more than 1,600 people to mental health resources rather than sending them to jail and diverted 6,700 from emergency departments. It's also helped over 9400 people receive mental health evaluations at crisis centers.

The report also called attention to the state's need to increase the number of mobile crisis response teams and crisis center beds. Boswell acknowledged the legislature has supported the expansion of mobile teams. There are 14 teams to address both adult and child crises, with plans for further expansion.

"We would love to have a mobile crisis team in every county, or at least coverage for every county, especially some of our more rural counties," Boswell emphasized. "Because as you know, a big barrier to care is transportation."

She added more funding has also been allocated to increase residential substance use treatment beds, which had not been expanded since the 1970s. And efforts are ongoing to ensure access to care for both Medicaid-eligible people and those without insurance.

Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer for Inseparable, said to enhance services and extend its reach across the state, the report asks state legislatures to focus on sustainable funding sources and accountability measures for the crisis response system.

"By having these accountability pieces, this allows legislators to oversee the system over the long haul," Kimball stressed. "And to set up the structures for continuous learning, continuous system improvement."

She explained data collection, annual reporting and coordination between the 988 and 911 systems are ways states can make them more accountable.

Disclosure: Inseparable contributes to our fund for reporting on Criminal Justice, Health Issues, Mental Health, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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