1051: Meeting People Where They Are: Mobile Crisis Response and Expanding Access to Naloxone

As behavioral health and overdose crises continue to strain health systems, states are rethinking how and where care is delivered. In this episode, Dr. Jerry Larkin, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health and an ASTHO member, explains how youth-focused mobile response and stabilization services provide rapid, in-home crisis care and keep children out of emergency departments and reduce the need for hospitalization. The conversation explores why Rhode Island moved to require insurance coverage for these services and how states can sustain them amid funding uncertainty. Later, ASTHO Senior Director of Overdose Prevention, Richa Ranade, discusses the evolving policy landscape around naloxone, including efforts to expand access in schools, libraries, and other public spaces to prevent overdose deaths. Together, the guests highlight how prevention-focused, community-based approaches can save lives and strengthen public health systems.Policy Trends Shaping Behavioral Health in 2026 | ASTHOState of Rhode Island General AssemblyPolicy Trends Shaping Behavioral Health in 2026 | ASTHOData Modernization Primer and Tactical Guides | ASTHOMeeting Home Page