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When Celeste’s brother needed addiction treatment, she had to call the police in order to get him that help. When she later searched for treatment for her child, she was faced with the same response that “the police are the only ones that can help.”
Police have become the default first responders for issues for which they are not adequately trained or prepared. Mental health and substance use disorders are health care issues, not crimes, and an appropriate response would connect people to care providers, not police.
988 is a new three-digit emergency number that people can call in lieu of 911 for behavioral health crises. It is set to launch in July and will be available 24/7, anywhere in the U.S., to provide non-police response to behavioral health crises. However, many states are still lacking adequate crisis services needed to make 988 a success.
Send a letter to your members of Congress encouraging them to support the 988 Implementation Act, so that people like Celeste have a place to turn when they or their loved ones need help.
The bill would provide federal funding and guidance to states to implement their crisis response infrastructure, including by solidifying funding for the 988 hotline and a national backup system; providing funding and technical assistance for a continuum of community-based crisis services; supporting crisis workforce development; setting standards for and requiring all insurance plans to cover crisis services; and allowing all states to establish certified community behavioral health clinics, which provide comprehensive mental health and addiction services including 24/7 crisis services.
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