Nevada is among a handful of states to add a surcharge to all phone bills intended to help support the state's 988 mental health emergency hotline.

A new report by the mental health advocacy group Inseparable found if the surcharge were to increase from 35 cents to 98 cents, it would generate approximately $3 million annually for the Silver State.

Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer for Inseparable, said the report is a tool to help policymakers and state leaders develop an equitable and sustainable crisis response system. They found Nevada's in-state answer rate sits at 68%, when it should be above 90%.

"We're still a long way from having the kind of system that everybody expects in every ZIP code, in every part of America," Kimball acknowledged.

Kimball pointed out with the implementation of 988, it also brought about changes in the way local jurisdictions respond to mental health crises. The report highlighted Nevada has convened a workgroup to build response processes for collaboration between 988 and 911. While it is a step in the right direction, the report showed Nevada could improve call center capacity, crisis response as well as system financing.

Nevada has the 39th highest suicide rate in the country and also ranks 50th in the nation for overall mental health, according to the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health.

Kimball stressed the figures need to see improvement. She added not having an effective response system in place can make a difference between life and death for some.

"People going without help, being turned on to the streets, being in jail, being in emergency departments, being hospitalized -- voluntarily or involuntarily -- or, tragically, having their life end," Kimball noted.

Kimball added the report lays out policy examples for each of their policy recommendations which come from red and blue states moving the needle in the right direction. She hopes they can serve as inspiration for other states. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental-health emergency, do not hesitate to call or text 988.

Between 2016 and 2023, more than 14,000 Missourians died from drug overdoses, making it the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-44 in the state.

Many drug-abuse prevention organizations across Missouri concur syringe service programs reduce the devastating effect abuse has on the community by providing clean, sterile needles to people who inject drugs, in exchange for used ones.

Marietta Hagan, substance abuse initiative project coordinator for CoxHealth, has worked in substance abuse prevention for eight years, primarily in Stone and Taney counties. She is a strong advocate for the syringe programs in Missouri and talked about the roadblock organizations such as hers face.

"Syringe access programs are not allowed and that is because Missouri drug-paraphernalia laws include sterile syringes as drug paraphernalia," Hagan explained. "Organizations are not allowed to hand them out to people and people who use drugs are not allowed to have them on them."

Studies showed the programs can decrease the incidence of hepatitis C and HIV infections by up to 50% among those who participate.

Research also found syringe service programs are economically beneficial, saving more than $75 million in lifetime HIV treatment costs with an annual investment of just $10 million. Hagan pointed out beyond providing sterile syringes, the programs offer vital resources, including safe drug use information and connections to treatment services for people who need help.

"What they found in global research studies is that people who utilize the syringe access programs, they are five times more likely to enter treatment and three times more likely to stop using drugs altogether," Hagan reported.

A legislative task force meets monthly at the Missouri state Capitol to discuss ways to reduce substance abuse in the state.


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The Coach Beyond program, started by Ohio State University's Life Sports, is making waves across Ohio by helping coaches address more than just the athletic performance of their players.

This week, an upcoming Youth Sports Summit will highlight the importance of the program in fostering mental health and positive team environments.

Samantha Bates, Director of Research for LiFEsports at Ohio State, emphasized how the initiative is equipping coaches with essential skills.

"Coach Beyond has trained 20,000 coaches in the state of Ohio, first on mental health and second, really sport-based positive youth development," Bates outlined. "Things like how to foster a positive team environment, how to develop yourself as a leader, how to ask for support, working with coaches to help make sport a place for kids to kind of go beyond."

The program aims to reshape the role of coaches, encouraging them to take an active part in the emotional and psychological well-being of their players. This holistic approach is particularly relevant in today's competitive sports environment, where athletes often face intense pressure.

Bates noted a grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services has allowed the training to be available for free for coaches in any youth sport system in Ohio such as through Parks and Rec, YMCA and other clubs.

Joe Roberts, athletic director for Princeton City Schools in Cincinnati, shared his firsthand experience with the program's effect on student athletes, recounting a specific instance where Coach Beyond brought new perspectives into his school, leading to meaningful changes in its athletic culture.

"Listening to how our student athletes want more connection and less pressure meant so much to me," Roberts explained. "Because it brought back the essence of what high school sports are about."

Randy Tevepaugh, athletic administrator and coach at Streetsboro High School who has gone through the program, noted how the training sessions have provided him with new tools to create a more supportive environment for his team. He said the significant role the strategies play in developing not only better athletes but better people.

"I learned about some things that I didn't know about the coaches, some things that they had gone through with kids that thought about suicide and had some emotional things going on, that our coaches handled," Tevepaugh recounted. "From our student athlete perspective, when they're doing some of the interaction part of the program, it made a big difference."

As the upcoming event approaches, the Coach Beyond program continues to gain traction, with more schools across Ohio taking part. The initiative may mark a shift in how sports programs address the mental health needs of young athletes. As more coaches are trained to look beyond the game, the long-term effect on student athletes could redefine the landscape of high school sports across the state.

Columbia County, New York, is developing a new center to help people with mental illness and substance use disorder.

The Wellness Hub stems from a county study showing the best ways to fill gaps in care for people. It will provide emergency housing for people with mental health and substance use disorders.

Cheryl Roberts, executive director of the Greenburger Center for Social and Criminal Justice, said not many places offer services for populations in need.

"A lot of the emergency housing is nothing more than motels that are often located far from services," Roberts pointed out. "No food in the area, no other services, and that's the case in Columbia County. There's one hotel that provides services, but most do not."

The hub will have a ground flood-safe haven shelter with 25 single-room occupancy units. The hub will also have 35 units of permanent supportive housing and up to 14 120-day supportive housing units staffed with clinicians. Additional funding would be spent on a welcome center with space for peer-support services, a commercial kitchen to train people in culinary arts and other amenities for homeless people in the area not staying at the hub.

Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The hub has become more necessary since the pandemic exacerbated mental health issues and homelessness. Roberts notes the Wellness Hub will work hand-in-hand with the county's mental health court. She said the 35 units of permanent housing can provide added resources for people in the criminal justice system.

"Half of it will be set aside for people with serious mental illness," Roberts outlined. "A quarter of it will be for people who are justice-involved, so coming out of incarceration or may be in the midst of the justice process where they might be taking a plea in the treatment court and being required to follow a treatment protocol."

One of the biggest challenges for maintaining the Wellness Hub is the ongoing shortage of mental health professionals. Reports show the number of New Yorkers with a mental illness has grown since the pandemic. The Health Resources and Services Administration found there are 192 designated mental health professional shortage areas, leaving more than 3.5 million people without access to mental health services.


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