Behavioral Health
Governors play a critical role in addressing behavioral health in their state, including both mental health and substance use disorders. The Behavioral Health Program supports governor’s offices by providing evidence-informed promising and best practices that promote behavioral health to improve the lives and wellbeing of their constituents.
Our Focus Areas
- Evidence based policies for reducing overdose
- Mitigation of trauma and adverse childhood experiences to prevent substance use disorder
- Implementation of a continuum of care to address substance use disorder
- Mental Health Promotion
- Reducing infectious diseases related to drug use
Meet The Team
- Marianne Gibson
Program Director - Dana Heilman
Senior Policy Analyst - Abigail Smith
Policy Coordinator
Behavioral Health Library
Governors Recognize Suicide Prevention Month
Suicide is a leading cause of death and claimed the lives of nearly 50,000 individuals in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ...
Nonprescription Naloxone Available for Retail Sales
Just a week after International Overdose Awareness Day, the first overdose reversal drug approved for nonprescription sale, Narcan® (naloxone HCl), will appear on retail store shelves and online this week ...
International Overdose Awareness Day 2023
International Overdose Awareness Day has been recognized since 2001 to raise awareness of the impact of overdose, remember those who have died, and acknowledge the grief of those who have ...
NGA Releases Roadmap for Tackling Drug Overdose Epidemic
Roadmap Outlines Strategies Targeting Growing Impact of Fentanyl Washington, DC –The National Governors Association (NGA) released a roadmap to help support Governors and state officials in developing policy solutions to ...
Implementing Best Practices Across the Continuum of Care to Prevent Overdose
This Roadmap provides Governors with 17 specific, actionable recommendations to prevent overdose across five pillars of the Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care: foundations, prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery ...
State and Territory Approaches to Improving Care for Individuals Affected by Stimulant and Polysubstance Use
The Stimulant and Polysubstance Use Policy Academy provided states and territories with the opportunity to assess their current strategies and infrastructure for stimulant and polysubstance use using a comprehensive approach ...
Strengthening Youth Mental Health – 2023 NGA Annual Meeting
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy opened the first plenary session of the 2023 NGA Annual Meeting with an overview of his 2022-2023 Chair’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health, noting the ...
NGA 2023 Annual Meeting
The National Governors Association’s 2023 Annual Meeting was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from July 12th – July 14th. The Annual Meeting is an opportunity for Governors to share ...
Strengthening Youth Mental Health: A Governor’s Playbook
The Playbook is intended to serve as a tool for states to further impactful policy solutions that strengthen youth mental health. Nationally, the current state of youth mental health is often labeled ...
