The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is welcoming public comments on the 2025 Draft National Guidelines for a Behavioral Health Coordinated System of Crisis Care (National Guidelines 2025). The National Guidelines 2025 is a companion document to the Draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions. This document was designed for state, territory, Tribal, and local entities; crisis services providers; public and private payers; regulators; and help seekers and their supporters to better understand the resources needed to implement and sustain behavioral health crisis systems and services.
This 2025 update is spurred by the country’s transition to the 988 Lifeline as well as recent progress and emerging needs in the field related to behavioral health crisis system transformation. The National Guidelines 2025 builds upon the National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care: Best Practice Toolkit (National Guidelines 2020) and the National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care.
The National Guidelines 2025 will accomplish three goals:
1. Establish overarching principles for behavioral health crisis system transformation;
2. Clarify the various elements that comprise the continuum; and
3. Offer guidance for communities so they can better understand the resources needed to implement and sustain behavioral health crisis systems and services.
Interested people are invited to submit written comments on the National Guidelines 2025 from Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, through Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET
SAMHSA is asking for positive, neutral, and critical feedback for this draft document in areas such as clarity, consistency, comparison with current practices, implementation feasibility, the described vision and/or other concerns. Please submit comments using this form.
If there are any additional questions, please email comment@988crisisttac.org.