Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Crisis Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
988 is the behavioral-health lifeline; NC PTSD advises veterans to press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line
Summary
Dr. Rebecca Mateo explained differences between 911 and 988, described 988's triage and de-escalation role, and noted that pressing 1 on 988 connects callers to the Veterans Crisis Line where veteran responders are available.
Dr. Rebecca Mateo clarified crisis response options for behavioral-health emergencies. She differentiated 911 (police, fire, EMTs for immediate medical/public-safety emergencies) from 988, "the suicide and crisis lifeline or 988," which she said is intended for behavioral-health crises and offers triage and de-escalation.
Dr. Mateo noted a 988 caller can press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line and that callers may be connected with someone who has veteran experience. "When you press that option, you're sent to the veteran's crisis line, which means you're likely going to be speaking to a veteran, or you'll be speaking with someone who's been trained to respond to veteran needs," she said.
She emphasized that 988 is not identical to emergency dispatch; its role is to help de-escalate, assess needs, and connect callers to ongoing resources rather than automatically initiating involuntary hospitalizations.
