2026 News Releases

The 12th Annual Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Conference will be held Thursday and Friday, April 9 & 10, 2026, at the Margaritaville Lake Resort in Osage Beach, MO. More than 800 law enforcement officers, other first responders and behavioral health professionals are expected to attend. The purpose of CIT is to address the challenges that often arise when law enforcement officers encounter individuals with behavioral health conditions in crisis situations. 

This year’s conference will feature dynamic speakers, crisis resources such as 988, mobile crisis response, and behavioral health crisis centers, as well as awards to recognize individuals from across the state. 

Specific agenda information is available on the CIT Conference website.
 

Media can contact Missouri Behavioral Health Council (MBHC) at events@mobhc.org. 

Location: Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake of the Ozarks, 494 Tan Tar A Drive, Osage Beach, MO 65065.

Missouri Department of Mental Health Director and NASDDDS Board President Valerie Huhn has been selected to serve on the Healthcare Advisory Committee, a new federal advisory body comprised of leaders from across the healthcare system who will provide expert recommendations to help improve patient care and modernize the U.S. healthcare system.

Huhn is one of 18 members selected through a competitive review process that drew more than 400 nominations nationwide. Members of the Committee will serve two-year terms and meet regularly throughout the year in open, public meetings. The Committee will advise U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz on improving care delivery and financing across major federal healthcare programs.

As Director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Huhn leads a state agency with more than $4 billion in budget authority, more than 6,500 employees, and responsibility for serving approximately 170,000 Missourians and their families. During her tenure, she has advanced innovations in technology-first service delivery, data integration dashboards, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic implementation, managed care redesign, and housing partnerships for people with disabilities.

Huhn has also provided stellar leadership at the national level through her service as a member of the CMS Home and Community-Based Services Access Workgroup and to the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS). As President of the NASDDDS Board of Directors, she has helped guide the association’s efforts to support state systems serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a strong emphasis on innovation, cross-system collaboration, and practical strategies that strengthen person-centered supports. Her leadership has helped elevate state perspectives in national conversations on Medicaid, workforce, technology, and system transformation.

“Val brings exceptional leadership, deep policy expertise, and a strong commitment to improving systems of support for people and families,” said NASDDDS Executive Director Mary Sowers. “Through her leadership in Missouri and her service to NASDDDS, she has consistently advanced thoughtful, forward-looking approaches that strengthen public systems and improve lives. We are thrilled to see her selected for this important role and know she will bring an invaluable perspective to the Committee’s work.”

Prior to becoming Director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health in 2022, Huhn held senior leadership roles within the department, Missouri’s Medicaid agency MO HealthNet, and the Office of Administration’s Division of Budget and Planning. She has presented nationally on topics including conflict-of-interest mitigation in case management, business acumen development, operational excellence, and integrated primary and behavioral healthcare. 

For more information contact, Debra Walker at the Missouri Department of Mental Health, debra.walker@dmh.mo.gov or Carrie McGraw with NASDDDS at cmcgraw@nasddds.org. 

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The Missouri Department of Mental Health serves approximately 170,000 Missourians annually through state-operated facilities and contracts with private organizations and individuals. The department is composed of three divisions: the Division of Behavioral Health, the Division of Developmental Disabilities, and the Division of Administrative Services, as well as seven support offices. Its mission is to serve, empower and support all Missourians to live their best lives.

The National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) represents state agencies, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico providing services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. NASDDDS promotes visionary leadership, systems innovation, and the development of national policies that support home and community-based services for individuals with disabilities and their families

The Third Annual Report was released on March 2, 2026, by the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) who is the lead agency for reporting opioid settlement expenditures.

Section 196.1050 RSMo., established the Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery Fund, into which all monetary proceeds are deposited for the State of Missouri’s share of settlement distributions.  According to the Memorandum of Understanding between the State of Missouri, the state’s political subdivisions and the national opioid settlement administrators, each recipient of settlement funds must provide the General Assembly with reporting details of the following for the preceding year:

• The amount of settlement funds received;
• Details on how settlement funds were spent; and
• Whether each expenditure fits within an approved use.

The Third Annual Report as well as other opioid settlement information can be found on the DMH website pages specifically established for public reporting: MOOpioidSettlements. (https://moopioidsettlements.dmh.mo.gov/).

DMH continues to work with the Attorney General’s Office, the Missouri Association of Counties, and the Missouri Municipal League to communicate settlement reporting requirements.

The Missouri Mental Health Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health (DMH), is proud to present the 2026 Director’s Creativity Showcase Wednesday, March 4, 2026. The art exhibit will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the DMH Central Office at 1706 E. Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO.

“Making the art available for public viewing is just one of the ways we can help reduce stigma associated with having a mental illness, developmental disability, or substance use disorders,” says Katie Andrews, Executive Director of the Missouri Mental Health Foundation. “The artwork is inspiring and shows the amazing talents of many individuals faced with mental health issues.”

The artwork is created not only for the showcase, but also as a means of therapy and recreation by people with developmental disabilities, mental illness, or in recovery from substance use disorders served by the Department of Mental Health. 

The Missouri Mental Health Foundation’s mission is to raise awareness and public understanding of the many issues that impact individuals and families who are living with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders. Its efforts battle stigma and discrimination, promote care and treatment and foster inclusion in the community and the workforce.

For more information contact Katie Andrews at the Missouri Mental Health Foundation at (573) 635-9201 or e-mail katie.andrews@missourimhf.org.