American Rescue Plan Act Archives

Crisis Services Access, Innovations, Workforce

A Hidden Gem: How HCBS Can Support the Behavioral Health Crisis Continuum

The Covid pandemic has highlighted long-standing unmet needs in home and community-based services for substance use and mental health challenges (also called “behavioral health”). As evidenced by record-breaking drug overdose deaths and worsening trends in youth mental health, the federal government must take action to support behavioral healthcare. People with

Crisis Services Access, Innovations

How States Can Use One-Year HCBS Funding Bump to Expand Crisis Systems

The American Rescue Plan Act, commonly called the Covid-19 stimulus package or by its acronym, ARPA, is giving states an opportunity to increase people’s access to Medicaid home- and community-based services, including behavioral health. Section 9817 of the act provides a one-year increase in federal funding that became available on