National Center

The Institute for Innovation and Implementation (The Institute) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) School of Social Work (SSW) has partnered with Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI),  Social Current, and the  National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) to launch the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) Quality Learning Collaborative (QLC). This learning opportunity builds upon the success of the five 2-day MRSS Peer Meetings previously hosted by The Institute with team participation from 27 states and territories. The MRSS QLC focuses on the structural changes necessary to fully implement MRSS including engaging leadership, finance, policy, and workforce, and includes: best-practice presentations featuring examples from the field and lessons learned; intensive small group (maximum of 8 states/sites) facilitated peer-to-peer learning; individual monthly coaching; data collection and analysis; affinity group opportunities; and access to resources and tools to support design and implementation.

MRSS plays a critical role in preventing future crises; reducing involvement with law enforcement, particularly for children and youth who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; providing care in the least restrictive environment appropriate to identify needs; and, maintaining children safely at home and in the community. The time is NOW for communities, states, and territories to start planning efforts to ensure that 988 implementation (required in July 2022) meets the caregiver/parent sense of urgency by establishing MRSS as the first connection within a state crisis continuum; and leveraging new MRSS funding mechanisms including SAMHSA System of Care Grants, American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) and COVID-19 Supplemental Substance Abuse and Mental Health Block Grant Awards. In addition, ARP resulted in changes to Section 1947 of the Social Security Act, permitting states to use Medicaid to cover community-based mobile crisis intervention services for beneficiaries experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis.

Practical, how-to technical assistance will include: monthly individualized coaching calls; monthly focused and interactive peer-to-peer learning opportunities; care pathway design and implementation; development of quantitative and qualitative data metrics – to include a set of common measures; data collection, tracking, and program improvement design and implementation; quarterly “Plan-Do-Check-Act” quality improvement goals and activities; bi-monthly webinars for stakeholders (e.g., family and youth organizations, judges, child welfare, schools, providers, pediatricians/psychiatrists); and access to and guidance on the use of resources and tools to support design, installation, and sustainability.

Time Frame:  July 2022 to June 2024 (2 years)*

Cost: $150,000 per year

Application Deadline:  June 7, 2022  - Please direct any questions to Kathryn Baxter kathryn.baxter@ssw.umaryland.edu

*Depending upon interest and readiness of applicants, a second QLC cohort may be offered from January 2023 through December 2024.

Interested states, territories, and localities must complete the application process to be considered for acceptance as there is limited capacity. Ideally, each participating team will be comprised of leaders from key child and family-serving systems and organizations, including family and youth/young adult leaders, who have decision-making authority or critical influence for funding and staffing mobile response and stabilization services for children, youth, and young adults with behavioral health challenges. Applicants are encouraged to think strategically about whom to include on their teams, given their particular focus and learning objectives for the QLC.

Teams should not exceed 8 members. Teams should include key staff and leadership from current mobile response and stabilization service provider(s) (or current crisis response provider(s) for children), funders including the state Medicaid agency, Medicaid managed care organizations, child welfare, juvenile justice, children’s mental health, substance use, and/or education, as well as family and/or youth leaders who have been closely involved in discussions related to the development, implementation, and/or delivery of mobile response and stabilization services, to include the role of peer support. Team members should be designated decision-makers for the entities they represent.