This report is a showcase of significant state mental health legislation that was enacted during calendar year 2022. The report explains overall trends in mental health policymaking and shares lessons learned from NAMI State Organization leaders who played an important role in shaping many of these policies.
The report’s analysis is divided into three main sections based on the pillars of the NAMI 2020-2025 Strategic Plan: People should get help early, get the best possible care and be diverted from criminal justice system involvement.
Areas of focus covered in the NAMI State Legislation Report: Trends in State Mental Health Policy (2022) include:
- Early intervention
- Child and adolescent mental health
- Access to care
- Culturally competent care
- Medication access
- Mental health workforce
- Crisis response
- Diversion
- Criminal Justice Reform
Due to the breadth of issues impacting mental health, this report is not comprehensive of all possible issue areas and related legislation.
Conclusions
Mental health emerged as a top issue in states’ policymaking in 2022, reflecting overwhelming concern from the American public. While every state has different needs, several clear priorities emerged across state lines, and progress was made in a variety of issues, including:
- Increasing school mental health resources for youth
- Growing the mental health workforce
- Expanding and reforming crisis response
