HHS announced the agency is working with states to promote access to Medicaid services for people with mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) crises via community-based mobile crisis intervention services. The new option will help states connect individuals 24 hours per day, 365 days per year to behavioral health specialists that are tasked with providing screening and assessment; stabilization and de-escalation; and coordination with and referrals to health, social, and other services, as needed. It also supports the departments efforts to help transition access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline from its current 10-digit number to a three-digit dialing code – 988. (Press release here)