• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for making improvements to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to help callers access localized, lifesaving behavioral health resources, according to an Oct. 17 statement from Padilla’s office. The FCC Board of Directors unanimously voted to finalize the proposed rule to improve the 988 lifeline, which will expedite the process of connecting callers with their nearest call center so they can receive appropriate care and resources from mental health professionals and local public safety officials as quickly as possible while protecting user privacy. Reliable, timely access to the 988 Lifeline is essential to link people experiencing suicidal ideation or a mental health crisis with immediate support. The bipartisan 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has supported millions of Americans in crisis, but currently, calls to the hotline are routed by area code rather than location. As awareness of the hotline increases, operators can more quickly connect callers to a range of mental health services—and a full continuum of care is crucial. “From a college student far from home to a parent traveling for work, Americans in crisis across the country need access to timely, localized mental health services no matter where they call from,” Padilla said in the statement. “Today’s final rule to efficiently route calls to the 988 Lifeline closer to the caller’s actual location—rather than by a phone’s area code—will improve the safe delivery of lifesaving mental health care. I applaud the Federal Communications Commission for heeding our bipartisan calls for tangible solutions to give those in crisis faster access to the help they need.”
• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California is expanding access to culturally based substance use disorder treatment services, according to an Oct. 16 statement from Newsom’s office. After years of working toward this milestone, this will be the first time state Medicaid provider Medi-Cal will cover traditional health care practices. The first portion of coverage includes music therapy (traditional music, dancing, and drumming) and spiritual remedies (ceremonies, rituals, and herbal remedies). These practices are led by a traditional healer—who is recognized as a spiritual leader with at least two years of experience practicing in a setting recognized by a Native American tribe and who is contracted or employed by an Indian Health Care Provider. The second includes navigational support, psychological skill building, self-management, and trauma support led by natural helpers—who deliver health recovery and social support in the context of tribal cultures. They can be spiritual leaders, elected officials, or paraprofessionals who are trusted members of a Native American tribe. According to the governor’s office, these practices have been shown to improve health outcomes, particularly those with substance use disorders. Native Americans continue to be disproportionately impacted by the opioid epidemic, with higher overdose death rates than other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. “As the home of the largest population of Native Americans in the country, California is committed to helping heal the historical wounds inflicted on tribes—including the glaring health disparities we see between Native communities and other groups,” Newsom said in the statement. “Like many of the issues that plague successive generations of Native people, those inequities can be traced back to the historical atrocities the U.S. inflicted on tribes across the country. By supporting greater access to traditional medicine and healing, we are taking another step toward a healthier, brighter future.”
This article appears in Oct 24 – Nov 3, 2024.