Three Ways To Make Mental Health Crisis Intervention More Equitable And Effective

In the summer of 2022, the U.S. rolled out its first-ever three-digit mental health hotline: 988. Designed to be the 911 of mental health emergencies, this new initiative came with pros and cons. Along with a positive investment in mental health crisis teams across the country and a much more memorable and accessible hotline number, 988 also adds to the complexity of treating mental health emergencies, concerningly still putting people in the hands of law enforcement and other first responders who are not equipped with comprehensive mental health training — ultimately causing more harm.

This leads to ineffective treatments (people experiencing reality-altering situations likely will not respond well to being detained), unnecessary incarceration or hospitalization, compounded trauma, and in some cases, police violence that could even lead to death.

Although the hotline can be a helpful tool in a potentially life-threatening situation, it’s vital to understand the nuance of mental health crisis intervention. The Psychiatric Survivors Movement is a social justice movement that centers the experiences of those who have survived abuse and subjugation in psychiatric care, welcoming alternatives to our current mental health system that center human rights in crisis intervention.

Mental health advocates who operate with equity and intersectionality in mind must work to create procedures that prioritize self-determination, harm reduction, dignity, and liberation — and leaders at the helm of the Psychiatric Survivors Movement have been cultivating these practices for decades. Here are a handful of ways (not all!) to begin reframing how we practice crisis care in America.

Peer Support Counseling

Grassroots organization Project LETS works outside of state-sanctioned systems to provide peer-based support to those experiencing mental health crises. The organization trains volunteer Peer Mental Health Advocates (PMHAs) to provide free long-term support to those who need it. With skills in trauma-informed care, suicide prevention, cultural dynamics, disability justice, crisis management, coping skills, and more, PMHAs help to create personalized safety plans, assist with medications and appointments, offer resources to make informed and independent choices, provide support in navigating the healthcare system, and more.

“We are here to hold people, be present with them, and hear them. We do not judge, cage, coerce, force, or challenge people’s autonomy and self-determination as human beings,” the Project LETS website reads. “Many power dynamics that exist in the traditional therapeutic model and mental health system are reduced.”

How can you help? Volunteer as a peer advocate, find resources, and check out a map of community crisis response groups at projectlets.org

Non-Violent Emergency Hotlines

While some states and cities are already implementing non-violent or non-crime-related emergency services (yay!), community groups across the country lead the way for alternative emergency response methods. In Minneapolis, the Revolutionary Emergency Partners have created a trusted hotline to aid in crises like mental health support, noise complaints, conflict de-escalation, neighbor complaints, and more.

CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) is also a long-standing alternative hotline. Created by the countercultural movement in the 1960s in Eugene, Oregon, CAHOOTS worked with mainstream organizations to better serve people in crisis and has inspired countless programs in other cities to this day. How can you help? Work with your local elected officials to encourage your city to invest in and implement a community hotline outside of the police and fire departments.

Peer Respite Centers (Alternative Treatment Homes)

When someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, they might need a break from their current reality. Historically, this looks like inpatient psychiatric care or hospitalization. While these options can be a good fit for some, folks deserve an option that may not include intense medical therapies. Enter: peer respite centers.

These respite centers (AKA alternative treatment homes) are community spaces operated by peer support specialists with similar lived experiences. They are voluntary, non-medical spaces where people can take a temporary self-driven break, knowing they will have support from an array of wellness tools, activities, and resources.

Peer Support Space (PSS) in Central Florida is one example of a soon-to-open respite center, offering folks up to seven days of free overnight respite per month.“A respite is a reminder that there is help outside of the realm of handcuffs and grippy socks; metal mirrors and plastic sporks,” the PSS website reads. “A respite means to get the love, care, and support that one’s soul needs to heal, instead of stripping them further of their sense of self.” How can you help? Donate or send supplies to a respite center or alternative treatment home. Visit peersupportspace.org to learn more.