Aligning Health and Safety: State Innovations in Crisis Response

Hosted by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the Pew Charitable Trusts

Communities across the country are reimagining how they respond to mental health and substance use emergencies through 911, 988, co-response, community response teams, and mobile crisis. But building effective, sustainable crisis systems requires alignment across state and local policymakers, behavioral health, law enforcement, and EMS.

As part of the CSG Justice Center’s Aligning Health & Safety initiative, this webinar will explore how states are using cross-system approaches to improve crisis response, safely divert people from incarceration, connect more people to care, and make communities safer.

In this virtual discussion with state leaders from New Jersey, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, participants will learn

• How each state addressed challenges to improve policies, systems, and outcomes for people with behavioral health needs in crisis;
• How to leverage data, partnerships, and cross-agency coordination; and
• How the CSG Justice Center’s tools and experts can help you align state policymaking and local implementation.

This event is open to anyone but intended for state agency leaders, legislative staff, crisis system practitioners, behavioral health advocates, public safety leaders, and community-based service providers.

Speakers:

• Tiffany Wilson, Director, Office of Alternative and Community Responses, New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
• LeAnne Huff, Program Administrator, Crisis/MCOT Services, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
• Curt Gleeson, Assistant Commissioner for Crisis Services, Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
• Kimberly Hendrickson, Program Manager, Washington State Behavioral Health Crisis Outreach Response and Education
• (Facilitator) Hallie Fader-Towe, Director of Behavioral Health, CSG Justice Center
• (Facilitator) Ernest Stevens, Managing Director of Behavioral Health, CSG Justice Center

All registrants will receive a recording and slides after the event.