Citation

Pope LG, Compton MT. Psychiatr. Serv. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.20220261

PMID

35895843

Abstract

The recent implementation of 988 as a behavioral crisis hotline is a critical opportunity for improving crisis care across the United States. The bold vision for 988 is to offer individuals experiencing a mental health crisis a rapid entry into a coordinated crisis system and reduce reliance on 911 (and prevent a police response when it is not warranted). In this Open Forum, the authors suggest that mental health professionals have a role to play in educating their clients about when to use 988. Promoting 988 will also depend on answering key questions about what constitutes a crisis and how 988 is being implemented at a local level.

Keywords: Suicide prevention

Language: en

Keywords

Emergency response; Crisis intervention; Criminal justice; Patient education; Police response; Service delivery systems