911 to 988 Diversion Consulting
What is 911 to 988 Diversion?
A 911 to 988 Diversion Program is a collaborative crisis response model that helps emergency communications centers identify behavioral health calls that can be safely transferred from 911 to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Rather than dispatching law enforcement to every mental health-related call, eligible callers can be connected directly to trained crisis counselors who provide immediate emotional support, safety planning, de-escalation, and referrals to community-based behavioral health resources.
When implemented correctly, diversion programs improve access to care, reduce unnecessary law enforcement responses, preserve emergency resources for higher-priority incidents, and connect individuals experiencing behavioral health crises with the most appropriate level of care.
At Holguin Training & Consulting, LLC (HTAC), we help agencies design, implement, train, and evaluate customized diversion programs that improve outcomes while maintaining public and responder safety.
Why Implement a 911 to 988 Diversion Program?
A well-designed diversion program benefits callers, dispatchers, first responders, and the community by:
- Connecting individuals in crisis to behavioral health professionals trained in suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and emotional support.
- Reducing unnecessary law enforcement dispatches for eligible behavioral health calls that do not require an immediate public safety response.
- Improving dispatcher decision-making through structured screening questions and evidence-based transfer protocols.
- Enhancing officer safety by allowing deputies and officers to remain available for emergencies requiring a law enforcement response.
- Reducing emergency response costs by directing appropriate calls to existing behavioral health resources.
- Strengthening partnerships between public safety agencies, crisis centers, behavioral health providers, hospitals, and community organizations.
- Increasing community trust by providing compassionate, person-centered responses to behavioral health crises.
- Creating measurable performance data that agencies can use to evaluate program effectiveness and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
How HTAC Can Help
-
Holguin Training & Consulting, LLC works with agencies to develop customized 911 to 988 diversion programs that fit their operations. Our consulting services include:
- Program planning and implementation
- Policy and procedure development
- Dispatcher screening protocols
- Training for dispatchers and supervisors
- Partnership development with local 988 providers
- CAD workflow recommendations
- Program evaluation and performance metrics
- Ongoing implementation support
Ready to implement a 911 to 988 Diversion Program? Contact Holguin Training & Consulting today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help your agency improve crisis response while enhancing public and responder safety.
- Program planning and implementation