Mental health bill's final form leaves advocates disappointed
May 1—ANDERSON — Advocates expected long-term change in Indiana's behavioral health system but are disappointed with the final form of a bill to fund improvements.
Barbara Scott, CEO of Aspire Indiana Health, said the Indiana General Assembly appropriated roughly $100 million combined for both of Senate Bill 1's components — a 988 behavioral health crisis response system and certified behavioral health clinics.
Advocates had proposed $130 million each of the next two years for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics alone, and a $1 surcharge for use of a new 988 behavioral health crisis response system.
The 988 system will provide a behavioral health version of 911.
Those in crisis will call 988 and speak with a licensed social worker, who then decide how to proceed. If necessary, a mobile unit would be dispatched to the person's home.
The 988 call line was put in place July 2022. SB1 would add the mobile response system and stabilization units, Scott explained.
The unit will consist of a social worker and a peer coach, someone who's overcome similar mental struggles. All three parties will decide on the next steps, which could include the person in crisis going to a stabilization unit.
Such a unit could be set up like a living room area where the affected could stay until stable; about 23 hours or less, Scott said in a separate interview.
Peers and medical staff would be available. The goal is to ease the burden on hospitals and jails.
The $1 surcharge would have yielded about $90 million per year, Scott said.
Behavioral health clinic funding was another issue. Such clinics provide at least nine core services for the local community, including mental health and addiction recovery services.
State health advocates say the $100 million for both components together is not enough to sustain services in the long term.
"The lack of method for full, long-term sustainable funding means that evidence-based behavioral health infrastructure is still not guaranteed for Hoosiers," Stephen C. McCaffrey, president of Mental Health America of Indiana, wrote in a newsletter.
He and Scott said the provided $100 million will be devoted to pilot sites, which will be used to measure the effectiveness of the 988 crisis response and the program for certified behavioral health clinics.
Data collected would provide legislators with information that could lead to more sustainable funding, according to Scott.
SB1 had passed the House and Senate and was awaiting the governor's signature as of Friday.
Follow Caleb Amick on Twitter @AmickCaleb. Contact him at caleb.amick@heraldbulletin.com or 765-648-4254.
