Local 911 call centers are often the first contact for mental and behavioral health crises. A Pew report on 911 crisis calls showed that most centers have challenges collecting data to support better policies for those calls. But Pew found parallel data from Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC) sites showed possibility for progress: SJC sites had higher rates of collecting behavioral health data, updating call info, recording outcomes, and reporting data.
The SJC sites noted that analytical expertise, commitment to culture change, and relationships with key stakeholders and other agencies were essential for developing the capacity and systems to collect data. With more understanding of the crisis call data, leaders can make informed decisions to improve emergency services for people with behavioral health crisis.
