Government & Regulation

California lawmakers have submitted a bill that would require a minimum amount of staff in hospitals for behavioral health emergencies, SFGate reported March 21. 

Gov. Spencer Cox has signed four bills related to mental health into law, State of Reform reported March 17.

House Bill 2455 would place restrictions on how insurers and coordinated care organizations can audit mental health providers in Oregon, the Lund Report reported March 16. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding 15 states each with $1 million, one-year certified community behavioral health clinic planning grants through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The West Virginia state legislature has completed action on a bill that would limit the number of treatment beds for substance use disorder patients in each county, according to a March 12 report from NBC affiliate WTAP.

President Joe Biden has included $10.8 billion in his 2024 budget for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

HHS will make available $25 million to expand primary healthcare and mental health services in schools through the Health Resources and Services Administration.

The Tulalip Tribes have been approved to build a 32-bed behavioral health facility in Stanwood, Wash., by the Snohomish County hearing examiner, according to a March 13 report from the Herald Net.

New York plans to allocate $10 million to two youth mental health networks across the state, NBC affiliate WGRZ reported March 13. 

A new bill in Nebraska would allow mental health professionals the ability to take an individual into emergency protective custody, ABC affiliate KETV reported March 9.