The book is composed of SAMHSA’s “National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care: Best Practice Toolkit” and related papers on crisis services. The toolkit reflects relevant clinical and health services research, review of top national program practices and replicable approaches that support best practice implementation. The related papers address key issues relevant to crisis services, homelessness, technology advances, substance use, legal issues impacting crisis services, financing crisis care, diverse populations, children and adolescents, rural and frontier areas, and the role of law enforcement.

This action brief provides rural communities recommended strategies for adapting promising or proven interventions to better support crisis response and pre-arrest diversion in their communities. It is the first of three briefs developed from the SAMHSA Pre-Arrest Diversion Expert Panel. 

This report examines the opportunities and challenges associated with municipal court diversion for people living with mental illness and substance use disorder conditions. It outlines elements for effective diversion, recovery-based engagement strategies, and proportional response.

This manual offers guidelines to help counselors and administrators deliver substance use disorder treatment in criminal justice settings. It discusses aspects in providing substance use disorder treatment to people within the criminal justice system, including screening and assessment, and triage and placement in treatment services.

This report outlines a national strategy to guide actions for suicide prevention. It highlights objectives and goals across four strategic directions: wellness and empowerment, prevention services, treatment and support services, and surveillance.