As more cities and counties launch mental and behavioral health response programs, local leaders are increasingly focused on a simple question: how do people get connected to the right responder, regardless of whether they call 911 or 988? Reporting for MindSite News, Josh McGhee highlights a new University of Chicago report examining how the two systems can work together to ensure that “no matter which number is dialed, people in crisis get the help they need.” The report draws on conversations with crisis response leaders, 911 professionals, 988 operators, researchers, and advocates from across the country, and concludes that successful integration depends on trust, communication, shared protocols, and strong partnerships between systems and first response teams so that “any person in crisis has around-the-clock access to appropriate care, provided by expert staff, regardless of where the call was received.”
For policymakers, emergency communications leaders, and first response teams, the report offers a practical roadmap for strengthening coordination between 911 and 988. Here are three key takeaways:
- Building A “No Wrong Door” Crisis Response System. Researchers’ central finding is that communities should build systems around a “no wrong door policy whereby whichever number the person in crisis calls, they will get the support they need,” so that “the transfer of calls and relevant information [happens] seamlessly through clearly defined technical and human collaboration mechanisms to ensure people access needed resources safely.” That includes clear protocols for transferring calls, shared understanding of who responds under what circumstances, and technology that allows information to move between systems without forcing callers to repeat their story.
- Embedding Mental Health Experts In 911 Call Centers Improves Coordination And Builds Trust. Researchers also emphasize relationship-building between 911 and 988 staff as a prerequisite for successful integration. Researchers pointed to Washington state’s co-location pilot, which embeds mental health experts from 988 inside a 911 communications center, and Chicago’s CARE program, which also invested heavily in integration and building trust across agencies. The report found that embedded clinicians, trusted liaisons, regular communication, and sharing outcomes from transferred calls can help agencies develop the “earned legitimacy” needed for dispatchers to confidently route calls to the most appropriate response. As former Valley Communications 911 Executive Director Lora Ueland advised: “Go slow and smart and be intentional. Meet in different forums, build camaraderie and shared vision.”
- Some States Are Already Creating Advisory Boards To Develop Successful Standards For 911/988 Integration. Researchers identified statewide advisory boards as an emerging best practice for improving coordination between 911 and 988. As of March 2025, eight states—including California, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming—had established advisory bodies focused on 988 implementation, researchers noted. These groups help identify legal and regulatory barriers to transferring calls, develop operational standards, review promising practices from other states, gather stakeholder feedback, and monitor implementation challenges. For lawmakers looking to strengthen crisis response systems, the report suggests that statewide governance structures can help create consistent standards while still allowing communities flexibility in how services are delivered locally.
Spotlight On Cities Seeing Promising Results After Integrating Mental Health Experts Into 911:
- In Tulsa, Oklahoma, “24/7 Mental Health Clinicians At 911 Center Diverted Over 6,600 Calls In 1st Year.” For FOX23, Devyn Lyon reports that Tulsa’s 24/7 COPES clinician program—which embeds “mental health clinicians inside Tulsa’s 911 Center around the clock [and already] has diverted more than 6,600 calls” to mental health experts, reducing the burden on law enforcement, during its first year. Here’s how it works: “when someone calls 911 during a mental health crisis, operators first determine whether there is an immediate public safety threat… if there is no threat… the call [is] transferred directly to a mental health clinician instead of dispatching police.” Amanda Bradley, who oversees the COPES team, explained to the news station that “mental health crises show up in the 911 calls every day… [and] require clinical de-escalation and decision making, not an automatic law enforcement response…” Officials estimated the program “has saved roughly $450,000 in public safety costs while freeing up thousands of hours for dispatchers, police officers, firefighters and EMS crews.”
- Allegheny, Westmoreland Counties, In Pennsylvania “Are Increasingly Integrating Mental Health Professionals To Handle A Surge In Crisis Calls.” For TribLive, Patrick Varine reports on Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties where mental health experts, called the “A-Team,” respond to 911 calls “where police may not be the best option,” providing de-escalation, crisis intervention, and connections to health and human services. Program leaders describe the model as “an additional branch of emergency response along with police, fire and EMS.” Monroeville Police Chief Doug Cole, a champion of the A-team, explained to the newspaper that his officers were a bit concerned about safety at first, but now trust the A-team: “They come with access to more resources, and they’re able to take a lot of things off my guys’ hands. It’s been nothing but a win-win.”
- Raleigh, North Carolina, “Diverting Some [Mental Health-Related] 911 Calls From Police” To Mental Health Experts. For Axios, Mary Helen Moore reports that Raleigh’s CARES program embeds mental health clinicians inside the city’s 911 center to respond when callers are experiencing a mental health crisis. When those calls come in, 911 operators can transfer callers directly to a clinician, who works to calm the person, assess their needs, and connect them with care. Emergency Communications Director Dominick Nutter explained to the news site that diverting crisis calls frees up first responders and creates “a dramatic improvement” because callers receive both immediate support and “continuity of care” in the days that follow the acute crisis.