What Will 988 Do for Black America?
On July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will become accessible by dialing 9–8–8. Users will be able to receive emotional support by phone, text, or chat, get information about mental health resources in their area, or request a mobile crisis response team, where available. The long-term goal is to establish a continuum of care, including call centers, mobile crisis response teams, and crisis stabilization facilities across the country. Much has been said about how this new system will improve access to mental health care and reduce police response to mental health crises. For Black people in America, fulfilling this promise is literally a matter of life and death. In my view, as it is currently conceptualized, 988 will not drive the changes necessary for Black communities to experience health and safety.
Continued Police Involvement
First, I need to make it clear that the launch of 988 will in no way remove police from mental health crisis response. Because 911 call centers currently take most mental health related calls, they, along with local police departments, are heavily included in coordinating what 988 responses will look like. Their involvement makes sense in this transitionary period, but the resulting implementations of 988 in many localities present challenges as to what the role of police will be going forward. Mobile crisis…
