The Assembly’s 2026-27 budget plan, released today, allocates $125 million from the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund to fund mobile crisis teams dispatched through 988 centers.
The May Budget revision appears to maintain the January budget proposal to make mobile crisis programs an optional benefit, putting the future of these critical crisis services at risk.
This policy brief identifies 988 outcomes measures that move beyond operational call center metrics and measure people-focused outcomes, efficiencies in connecting individuals to care, and more.
Assembly Bill 988, the law that established and funded California’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, has been selected for a formal legislative Outcomes Review as part of a new initiative to evaluate how effectively recently enacted policies are working in practice. The review will focus on implementation: what’s working, where gaps remain, and what it will take to ensure Californians in crisis can access the right care at the right place and time.
When enhanced federal Medicaid funding expires in 2027, mobile crisis response may become an optional benefit—shifting costs to counties and putting service continuity at risk across California. Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2026-27 budget, released today, reflects a continued […]
The third anniversary of 988 is a moment to reflect on its impact and why California’s investments in crisis care through AB 988 matter now more than ever.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has taken a big step forward by starting to route cell phone calls based on the caller’s actual location, instead of their area code. This new “georouting” feature launched with two […]
By Saskia Perks July 16th marked one year since the nationwide launch of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The lifeline allows anyone in the U.S. to call or text a trained mental health counselor for free […]
CALIFORNIA — Steinberg Institute Senior Advocate Tara Gamboa-Eastman joined U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Assemblymember Rebecca-Kahan (D-Orinda), Stephanie Welch, Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health, California Health & Human Services Agency and Lauren Finke of The Kennedy forum for […]
In July, the 988 the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline went live nationwide. This critical number will make mental health and crisis support much more accessible to anyone who needs it.