SB 5209: Crisis response services

Summary

• Creates a 988 crisis hotline to respond to behavioral health crises statewide, using interoperable technology across crisis and emergency response systems.
• Requires the 988 system to dispatch community-based rapid mobile crisis response services with embedded peers and behavioral health teams.
• Requires the 988 system to track local responses, monitor real-time statewide bed availability, and to provide same-day or next-day behavioral health appointments to all callers.
• Establishes a 55-member implementation coalition with a Legislative co-chair to meet until December 2022 to make recommendations to implement the 988 crisis system.
• Imposes a tax on radio access lines and interconnected voice over Internet protocol service lines to fund the 988 crisis system and behavioral health crisis services.

From the Senate Bill Report (SB 5209), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗