This month, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a series of ten papers, Connected and Strong Compendium, which offers recommendations for building a robust behavioral health crisis services system nationwide. The papers provide technical assistance on several issues, from peer support services to innovative technology uses, to implement a comprehensive and effective system. The Compendium includes experts from across the crisis continuum to illustrate the varying methods to address concerns and strengthen behavioral healthcare overall. A few core themes run through the papers, including expanding the behavioral health crisis workforce, best practices for providers, ensuring access to care, and the importance of partnerships and coordination.

Behavioral Health Crisis Workforce

• Connected and Strong: Strategies for Accessible and Effective Mental Health Services – Provides an overview of the efforts of the Biden Administration on behavioral health and the guiding principles of these efforts. 
• Peers Support Services Across the Crisis Continuum – Explores peer support specialists' role in crisis services and their potential to enhance and diversify behavioral healthcare. 
• Growing and Strengthening the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Workforce – Describes the current workforce shortage and provides strategies to develop and strengthen the workforce. 

Best Practices for Providers

• Crisis Services:  General Medical and Psychiatric Approaches to Care Delivery – Delves into the intricacies of acute psychiatric and physical health care, focusing on the role of medications, medical clearance procedures, and Emergency Medical Services protocols. 
• Innovative Uses of Technology to Enhance Access to Services within the Crisis Continuum – Examines opportunities to employ technology to enhance access, focusing on its application in behavioral health crises. 
• Long COVID and High-risk Populations – Addresses the recognition, impact, and management of Long COVID in behavioral health settings for adults and children. 

Ensuring Access to Care

• Facilitating Rapid Access to Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Care – Describes best practices and approaches to hold same-day/next-day appointments in Community Mental Health Centers and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs).
• Increasing Equitable Access to Co-Occurring Care – Highlights the importance of creating and strengthening the capacity to meet the needs of those who need substance use disorder services and mental health services concurrently.  

Partnerships and Coordination

• Crisis Systems Coordination and Collaboration: Leveraging Strengths and Opportunities of 988 and 911 – Dives into the complexity, best practices, and procedures for coordination between 988 and 911, specifically regarding crisis response. 
• Intersectionality: Faith, Mental Health, and Community Partnerships – Elevates the critical role faith-based partnerships can play in increasing access, especially for marginalized populations.