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HARRISBURG -- A special state commission is recommending that three-fourths of $100 million in new federal funds for mental health go to stabilize and strengthen the workforce in that field and improve and expand service delivery.
This recommendation is part of a special report released Tuesday by the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health created under the 2022-23 state budget to consider how to spend the
$100 million in one-time federal COVID-19 relief funds for adult mental health needs.
The commission's recommendations include splitting the money among three major areas affecting mental health: $37 million to address challenges in recruiting and retaining workers, $39 million to expand the scope and capacity of mental health services and supports especially in underserved areas and $23.5 million to help criminal justice and public safety systems better serve adults with behavioral health needs.
The commission broke down those three recommendations into detailed funding priorities:
- Workforce: $32 million for salary hikes and increased benefits for staff and providers; $5 million to address specific county workforce needs.
- Service Delivery: $15 million to establish 24/7 walk in centers, mobile crisis services and for suicide prevention; $10 million to integrate primary care with mental health and substance abuse disorder, $8 million for counties to address related needs such as supportive housing and behavioral needs for older adults and $6 million to support peer-led services and training for professionals.
- Criminal Justice: $13.5 million for evidence-based mental health and substance abuse disorder services to those incarcerated, $5 million to develop and expand pre-arrest diversion programs and $5 million for counties to train first responders in crisis intervention.
Other recommendations include earmarking $500,000 to evaluate the projects supported by this one-time spending, establishing a new commission to look at broader behavioral health needs and consider sustained increases in base state funding for county-run behavioral health services.
The commission's recommendations have been sent to the General Assembly, which now has to pass enabling legislation under the budget agreement.
"The Commission would like to stress the importance of swift action and ask that the funding authorized as part of this year's budget be appropriated before the end of this legislative session," an opening statement said.
Rep. Michael Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, a commission member, said the goal is to pass enabling legislation before the current legislative session ends at the end of November.
"That is the plan," said Schlossberg. "There is a sense of urgency. I think people understand what the challenges are."
The alternative would be passing the legislation after a new governor takes office and new legislative session starts in January is uncertain.
Lawmakers of both parties have said that more needs to be done to address mental health issues. Legislative committees have heard testimony about the pandemic leading to isolation and increased feelings of anxiety and fear that can impact behavioral health in the firm of depression, substance abuse and even suicide
Meanwhile, the mental health system has problems with lack of care due to closure of clinics and crisis services and lack of access to hospital beds even before the pandemic
The commission was charged with considering funding for the following areas: telemedicine services, mental and behavioral payment parity, workforce development and retention, expansion of peer support services, crisis services, integration of behavioral support and substances abuse disorder treatment, cultural issues in providing behavioral health care, impact of health on behavioral health, intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system and timely delivery of psychiatric care.
These areas are all being addressed in the report, said Schlossberg.
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania reported in its legislative bulletin that a survey of commission members favors giving priority for workforce development in the mental health field with funds for going to help retain existing workers and giving them financial support for education development.
The 23-member commission is composed of state officials and legislative appointees, including experts in such fields as substance abuse and trauma-informed treatment.