How Counties Intend to Address the Nation’s Mental Health Crisis

As the pandemic reaches the end of its third year, it’s clear that the nation has suffered not only a public health crisis but a serious mental health challenge as well. Counties are key providers of mental health services, through community health clinics, hospitals and prisons. But a third of the nation’s population lives in counties that have shortages of mental health professionals. And paying for mental health is about to get more challenging. The end of the federal pandemic emergency order in May will cut off enhanced funding for Medicaid. National Association of Counties (NACo) is launching a new National Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing, which will promote policy goals such as mental health coverage parity and building the field’s workforce. Learn more from Governing here.