Behavioral Health and Social Determinants of Health

A governor is uniquely situated to look across the state and coordinate action among state agencies, communities and stakeholders. Many governors are actively engaged in aligning multiple health delivery system reform efforts with broader population health strategies and exploring economically sustainable models.  One focal point of the NGA work with states is in establishing or scaling up cost-effective programs for individuals with complex care needs. Many of those individuals have unmet behavioral health (mental illness and/or substance misuse) and social service needs that are better served in the community and outside of acute care or institutional settings.  To that end, NGA is providing states technical assistance around a number of policy priorities in behavioral health including:

  • Improving outcomes and reducing cost of care for complex populations
  • System-level behavioral health and primary care integration
  • Capacity building in rural and underserved areas
  • Supportive housing
  • Behavioral health in criminal justice involved

NGA Resources

Supporting and Sustaining Access to Harm Reduction Services for People Who Use Drugs

Supporting and Sustaining Access to Harm Reduction Services for People Who Use Drugs

Harm reduction approaches are focused on minimizing the health, social and economic effects of drug use, including infectious disease spread and overdose with humility and compassion toward people who use ...
Behavioral Health Equity for All Communities: Policy Solutions to Advance Equity Across the Crisis Continuum

Behavioral Health Equity for All Communities: Policy Solutions to Advance Equity Across the Crisis Continuum

As a point of interception, equitable crisis response provides an opportunity to disrupt a cycle that has perpetuated longstanding challenges in underserved communities. (Download) Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic called widespread ...
Lessons Learned in State Collaboration to Address Substance Use Disorder and Justice-Involved Individuals

Lessons Learned in State Collaboration to Address Substance Use Disorder and Justice-Involved Individuals

This policy brief highlights lessons learned from collaborative efforts in Hawai‘i, Pennsylvania and West Virginia between SAAs and SSAs to address SUD issues within justice-involved populations. (Download) Executive Summary A ...
Improving Care For Stimulant And Polysubstance Use

Improving Care For Stimulant And Polysubstance Use

NGA has hosted a series of learning calls with national experts, Governors’ office staff and senior officials, researchers, academics, and local organizations to better understand the current landscape and challenges ...
Improving Outcomes for Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder on Community Supervision

Improving Outcomes for Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder on Community Supervision

A project for the development of innovative approaches to improving community supervision of individual with substance use disorder. While states have made progress in implementing and expanding access to treatment ...

Substance Use Disorder and Addiction

Governors have long been at the forefront of efforts to prevent and treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), working with stakeholders to mount a comprehensive response ...
National Recovery Month - 2021

National Recovery Month – 2021

National Recovery Month is held each September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of ...
Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Corrections and Community Settings

Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Corrections and Community Settings

During this webinar, NGA and ACA provided an overview of a step-by-step guide for governors and state officials to expand access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) with the goal ...
Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Corrections and Community Settings

Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Corrections and Community Settings

This roadmap highlights existing state efforts and serves as a policy development tool for Governors and state officials seeking to improve coordination and bolster existing efforts across state agencies to ...

Behavioral Health and Social Determinants of Health

A governor is uniquely situated to look across the state and coordinate action among state agencies, communities and stakeholders. Many governors are actively engaged in aligning multiple health delivery system ...