For comparison, state lawmakers are grappling with funding mental health systems, rewriting standards for involuntary commitment and strengthening mental health parity requirements. [Becker's Behavioral Healht]

Here are seven state behavioral policy updates to know: 

1. Maryland behavioral health providers and other advocates are urging lawmakers to reverse course on a proposed $116 million cut to funding for the 988 lifeline and other state mental health services, NPR affiliate WYPR reported Feb. 25. 
   
   
2. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey halted plans to close two state behavioral hospitals. More than 14,000 community members petitioned the governor to scrap the plans. 
   
   
3. New Mexico lawmakers passed legislation that would establish a trust fund to pay for mental health and substance use programs in the state, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported Feb. 21. Lawmakers also passed a bill to establish region-specific plans for local behavioral health needs, while a third bill to allocate additional funding has yet to receive approval from the state's House of Representatives.  
   
   
4. Connecticut legislators have revived a bill that would allow the state's insurance commissioner to penalize insurers for failing to comply with mental health parity requirements, CT Mirror reported Feb. 18. State lawmakers introduced similar legislation in 2024, but the bill failed to move forward. 
   
   
5. The Colorado House of Representatives passed a bill to strengthen mental health parity enforcement in the state, according to a Feb. 10 news release from the Colorado House Democrats. The bill is awaiting approval from the state's Senate. 
   
   
6. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed updating the state's involuntary commitment law to allow hospitals to involuntarily admit individuals at substantial risk of harm due to an "inability to meet basic needs," according to a Jan. 14 news release. The change would bring New York in line with other states, and clarify that individuals do not need to present imminent risk or recent overt harmful acts to be involuntarily committed to mental health treatment. 
   
   
7. Oregon lawmakers are also considering changing the state's standards around involuntary commitment. A bill backed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness would allow individuals at risk of harm within 30 days or unable to meet their basic needs to be committed to mental health treatment, CBS affiliate KOIN reported Feb. 19.

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