rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/tell-congress-to-pass-the-emergency-mental-health-package?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-tell-congress-to-pass-the-emergency-mental-health-package' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Students Engaged (SEAT) https://actionnetwork.org/groups/seat https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/432/244/normal/!_-_SEAT_Logo_Horizontal.png The Mental Health Crisis Response Act requires the Attorney General to establish a grant program to assist localities in transferring 911 callers in mental health crises to a 988 crisis center directly via a warm handoff, rather than having the caller hang up and call 988 themselves. The funds can also be used to embed mental health professionals in 911 dispatch systems to ensure they are on hand in the case of a severe emergency and don’t have time to transfer to a crisis center or just require extra care when transferring. The Mental Health Crisis Response Act offers a timely and transformative solution to a growing national need: ensuring that individuals experiencing a mental health crisis receive the right care, from the right responders, at the right time. As the RAND report underscores, 988 holds significant promise—but without formal coordination with 911, too many calls for help still default to law enforcement or emergency medical response, even when not clinically appropriate. By funding warm handoff infrastructure between 911 and 988 and embedding mental health professionals within dispatch systems, this bill empowers local communities to modernize their crisis response. It ensures that mental health emergencies are treated as health issues—not criminal ones—while preserving the ability to activate police or EMS when safety is truly at risk. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-to-pass-the-emergency-mental-health-package