Mental health crises can be overwhelming, and for many people, the most vulnerable moments happen after that first urgent call for help. Recognizing this, a new bipartisan bill in Congress seeks to improve how we connect individuals in crisis with ongoing support. The Continuity in Necessary Evaluative Crisis Treatment (CONNECT) Act, introduced by Congressmen Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and David Trone (D-Md.), aims to dramatically enhance crisis follow-up care for those who reach out for help through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other emergency behavioral health services.
Why Crisis Follow-Up Care Matters
Research has shown time and again that crisis follow-up care is a critical factor in reducing repeat suicide attempts. When people receive consistent outreach and support after their initial crisis, they are much more likely to stay connected to treatment and avoid future emergencies. Unfortunately, many individuals do not get this vital follow-up, often due to the complexity of navigating the U.S. mental health system.
The CONNECT Act seeks to fix this gap by providing resources for outreach and check-ins, helping individuals maintain contact with mental health providers and community support services. This kind of crisis follow-up care builds a safety net, reducing the risk of isolation and despair that often follow a crisis call.
Building on the Success of the 988 Lifeline
Since its launch in July 2022, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has been a transformative resource. It provides immediate access to trained crisis counselors via call or text, offering life-saving support to millions of people nationwide. But as Congressman Jamie Raskin explains, the crisis call is just the first step.
“The CONNECT Act will help us build on the success of 988 by providing our nation’s crisis call centers the resources they need to offer more crisis follow-up care to at-risk callers,” Raskin said. This follow-up is crucial for extending care beyond the initial moment of crisis and improving long-term outcomes.
What the CONNECT Act Would Provide
The bill would allocate $30 million to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to create a grant program supporting enhanced crisis follow-up care services. These services would include:
- Regular check-ins to assess ongoing risk
- Outreach to encourage participation in treatment and support systems
- Referrals to behavioral health providers and social services
This comprehensive approach to crisis follow-up care ensures that people who contact 988, receive mobile crisis team support, or visit urgent behavioral health clinics won’t be left on their own after the initial crisis.
Expanding Access and Continuity in Care
The CONNECT Act focuses on making crisis follow-up care accessible to everyone who needs it—whether they reached out through 988 or received in-person crisis intervention. This continuity of care is especially important in a fragmented health system where people often struggle to find and maintain consistent mental health support.
Congressman David Trone emphasized this point: “This legislation will continue to ensure that every call for help is not only heard but also met with effective crisis follow-up care. It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we make health care accessible and affordable to everyone in every corner of the country.”
Part of a Larger Movement to Improve Behavioral Health Services
The CONNECT Act is part of a broader wave of legislative efforts to improve mental health and substance use disorder care across the U.S. Other related bills include the Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act, which would increase rural access to virtual treatment, and the REAL Health Providers Act, which would ensure accurate provider directories to prevent barriers to care.
Together, these bills reflect growing recognition that immediate crisis response must be paired with robust crisis follow-up care to truly improve mental health outcomes.
Looking Ahead: What Crisis Follow-Up Care Could Mean for Communities
By funding and prioritizing crisis care, the CONNECT Act has the potential to save countless lives. Ongoing support after a crisis not only reduces repeat suicide attempts but also helps individuals build stronger connections to their communities and long-term recovery resources.
Mental health advocates nationwide are hopeful this bill will pass, signaling a new era in compassionate, continuous care for people facing mental health and substance use crises.
