Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh visited Keystone Health on Monday to highlight Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2026-27 budget investment.
The budget is aimed at expanding behavioral health services and strengthening the state’s mental health workforce.
During the visit, Arkoosh toured Keystone Health’s 988 Suicide and Crisis lifeline call center and behavioral health crisis walk-in center, meeting with staff to discuss the administration’s efforts to improve access to mental health care across the commonwealth.
“They are able to divert people from going to the emergency room or, in some cases, having to call the police because [with] over 90% of those calls, they can handle on the phone and set up next steps and additional resources for those individuals,” Arkoosh said.
The proposed budget includes $10 million in first-ever dedicated state funding for Pennsylvania’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which supports a network of 14 call centers statewide. According to the Shapiro administration, the funding would enhance crisis intervention services, expand access to mental health resources and help maintain professional, around-the-clock staffing.
The budget also includes $5 million to support behavioral health crisis walk-in centers, prioritizing regions with limited access to immediate, in-person mental health care.
“988 is so important because we are usually the last call,” Olivia Downing, a crisis intervention specialist, said. “They have tried everything else, they have made all the appointments for themselves, they have been rejected from other places or they are just having a really bad day. We are here to remind you that it is just a bad day and not a bad forever.”
State officials say the investment would strengthen partnerships among hospitals, community behavioral health providers and local emergency responders while ensuring residents can receive timely care close to home.