- In Washington State, “Trained Mental Health Counselors [From 988, Are Increasingly] Embedded Inside [911] Call Centers.” For The Washington State Standard, Conor Wilson reports on the state’s “ambitious effort to overhaul [a] behavioral health response system… [that sees] large numbers of calls are now diverted [to mental health experts and] away from emergency responders like law enforcement.” Inside the call centers, to determine which responder is the right responder for the caller, “one of the biggest innovations has been conference calls, where a 911 call receiver and 988 counselor are on the line at the same time with a caller—able to give them advice as they wait for first responders.” Bringing the 911 and 988 experts together “opens up many opportunities to support callers and maintain a ‘no wrong door approach… no matter who you call and where you go, we’re going to get you to the right people.’”
- In Calvert County, Maryland, County Leaders “Integrated 988, 911, And The Mobile Crisis Team.” For The Baynet, Carrie Cabral reports on the “landmark collaboration effort… to get people experiencing mental health crises the help they need, when they need it… [and] reduce the burden on 911.” The integration allows the two expert teams at 911 and 988 “to work together …to ensure cohesiveness between first responders and to make sure people get the best possible outcome no matter the reason for their call.” County leaders laid out a directive so that “each component plays a unique role,” including 988 which “provides immediate emotional support and triages crises with trained mental health counselors,” then 911 which “addresses emergencies requiring law enforcement, fire or medical services” and then the mobile crisis response team which “delivers on-site, specialized care” for mental health-related calls for service.
- Los Angeles County Expands Mental Health Access Through 911. County leaders have expanded an ongoing collaboration between 911 and 988 in the county, “that helps ensure individuals in mental health crises are connected to the most appropriate care,” Random Lengths News reported. The program “enhances emergency response by directing mental health-related 911 calls to trained 988 crisis counselors for immediate support… so that law enforcement can concentrate on protecting communities while individuals experiencing mental health emergencies receive the specialized care they need.” The expansion “builds on the success” of existing collaboration between 911 dispatchers and 988 crisis counselors in cities across the county.