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.
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How the Diversion Process Works
Although every agency's workflow is unique, a typical 911 to 988 diversion process includes:
- 911 Call Received
A dispatcher receives a call involving a potential behavioral health or suicidal crisis. - Structured Screening
The dispatcher uses standardized screening questions to determine whether immediate law enforcement, fire, or EMS intervention is necessary. - Safety Assessment
The dispatcher evaluates factors such as:
Immediate danger to life
Presence of weapons
Medical emergencies
Violence or threats
Public safety risks
Ability to safely transfer the caller - Determine Eligibility for Diversion
If the call meets agency-established diversion criteria and does not require an immediate emergency response, the caller may be eligible for transfer.
Warm Transfer to 988
The dispatcher conducts a direct ("warm") transfer to a trained 988 crisis counselor, ensuring continuity of care and minimizing the need for the caller to repeat information.- Crisis Intervention by 988
The crisis counselor provides:
Suicide risk assessment
Emotional support
Crisis de-escalation
Safety planning
Referral to local behavioral health resources
Coordination of additional services when appropriate - Documentation and Call Disposition
The 911 center documents the transfer according to agency policy, allowing for quality assurance, reporting, and program evaluation. - Ongoing Program Evaluation
Agencies monitor outcomes, review performance metrics, identify trends, and refine protocols to improve effectiveness over time.