Past Events

Strengthening Crisis Systems for Older Adults: Insights from Cross-Agency Partnerships Webinar​
Date/Time:
April 29, 2025

This workshop series supports the behavioral health crisis workforce in better understanding and addressing the unique needs of older adults during a crisis. The second session focuses on suicide risk and social isolation in older adulthood, highlighting innovative practices from Pennsylvania. Participants will explore strategies for strengthening cross-agency partnerships and enhancing crisis response systems to better serve aging populations.

Advancing the Integration of SUD Treatment and Recovery Efforts across the Crisis Care Continuum
Date/Time:
April 24, 2025

This webinar focused on the integration of substance use disorder services across the crisis continuum of care. Participants explored key opportunities and challenges, learned how action planning can support effective system change, and received information on upcoming resources from the 988 Training & Technical Assistance Center. A thought exchange allowed attendees to share insights to help shape future offerings.

Intended Audience:
State-level staff, crisis system leaders, supervisors, and direct care providers.

April 3, 2025 | Workforce Wellness Series, Session 1: Stress and Burnout in the Crisis Workforce
Date/Time:
April 03, 2025

This workshop series supports the wellness of the behavioral health crisis workforce amid increasing demand for crisis care services. Hosted by the Crisis Systems Response Training and Technical Assistance Center, the series provides evidence-based tools to manage stress, prevent burnout, and build resilience among frontline professionals.

The first workshop focuses on recognizing and addressing burnout in crisis response settings. Participants will learn to identify contributing factors, understand its impact, and apply strategies such as self-care planning, peer support, and mindfulness.

Audience: Crisis response staff, behavioral health providers, and workforce leaders.

February 27, 2025 | Forging Partnerships Between Schools and the Crisis-Coordinated System of Care
Date/Time:
February 27, 2025

This session focused on how schools can effectively partner with crisis care systems to better support children, youth, and families. Attendees learned strategies to bridge service gaps, improve crisis response, and enhance family-centered care through cross-system collaboration.

Audience: Crisis service staff, school-based mental health professionals, youth and family practitioners, and behavioral health providers.

December 12, 2024 | Addressing Behavioral Health Crisis in Aging Adults, Session 1: Reducing Stigma and Enhancing Care
Date/Time:
December 12, 2024

This workshop series supports the behavioral health crisis workforce by focusing on the unique needs of aging adults during a behavioral health crisis. As the older adult population grows, understanding and addressing their specific challenges becomes increasingly important.

Workshop 1 explores the intersection of mental health and aging, with a focus on how stigma and limited awareness impact the quality of crisis care for older adults. Participants will gain tools and insights to improve support for this population.

Audience: Behavioral health crisis providers, aging services professionals, and system planners.

November 14, 2024 | 988 Crisis Systems Response: Understanding Children, Youth & Family Services Across the Crisis Continuum Series; Session 2
Date/Time:
November 14, 2024

This webinar series highlights the National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care, aiming to ensure high-quality, accessible, and culturally responsive 988 services, including youth and family services, community supports, and school systems.

Session 2 focuses on Systems of Care (SOC), covering its definition, history, principles, and challenges. Expert speakers will demonstrate how SOC aligns with the crisis care continuum, using a youth mobile crisis program as an example. The session will provide insights on best practices, implementation challenges, and solutions to barriers.

Audience: Providers, practitioners, and service designers.

September 5, 2024 | 988 Crisis Systems Response: Understanding Children, Youth & Family Services Across the Crisis Continuum Series; Session 1: The Foundation
Date/Time:
September 05, 2024

This national webinar series spotlights the National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care, offering best practices to support high-quality, accessible, and culturally responsive crisis services—especially within schools, communities, and family systems.

The first session will provide an overview of the guidelines, the current landscape of youth crisis services, and why coordinated care across the crisis continuum is essential. The series aims to inform providers, youth, families, and crisis care professionals while fostering peer learning and cross-sector collaboration.

Audience: Youth and family service providers, crisis care professionals, educators, and behavioral health leaders.

August 12, 2024 | 988 Day Activation Workshop
Date/Time:
August 12, 2024

This workshop is for organizations and individuals eager to promote mental health and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

The goal of 988 Day is to raise awareness of 988 activities nationwide through fun and creative efforts. This year’s theme: "No Judgment. Just Help."

In the August 12 workshop, participants brainstormed ideas to make 988 Day impactful.

Audience: Advocates, organizations, and individuals committed to supporting mental health awareness and the 988 Lifeline.

July 25, 2024 | Promising Practices for 988 & 911 Collaboration Webinar Series, Session 6: Understanding the Components of Risk and Liability and the Interoperability of 988 & 911 (Part 2)
Date/Time:
July 25, 2024

This webinar series highlights emerging practices for coordinating 911 and 988 services across U.S. jurisdictions, including law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911 dispatch, 988 response, crisis services, and alternative emergency responders.

Session 6 explores how community leaders, public safety officials, and legal counsel can collaboratively develop policies that support interoperability between 911 and 988 systems. This is the second of two sessions on this topic.

Audience: Public safety officials, 911 and 988 leaders, legal advisors, crisis response teams, and system planners.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

June 27, 2024 | Promising Practices for 988 & 911 Collaboration Webinar Series, Session 5: Understanding the Components of Risk and Liability and the Interoperability of 988 & 911 (Part 1)
Date/Time:
June 27, 2024

This webinar series explores emerging practices in coordinating 911 and 988 services across jurisdictions, covering law enforcement, EMS, fire, 911 dispatch, 988 response, crisis services, and alternative emergency responses.

Session 5 introduces foundational concepts of risk and liability, defining key terms such as risk, liability, and qualified immunity. Perspectives from 988, law enforcement, and governance partners provide a shared understanding of these critical topics to support cross-system collaboration. This is the first of two sessions on this subject.

Audience: 911 and 988 professionals, crisis response leaders, law enforcement, EMS, and policy stakeholders.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

May 20, 2024 | 988 Formative Research: Messaging and Communications about 988 to Trusted Messengers of People Disproportionately Impacted by Suicide
Date/Time:
May 20, 2024

This webinar previews findings from the second 988 Formative Research study, focusing on trusted messengers that individuals impacted by suicide turn to for help during a mental health crisis. These insights will guide communicators in creating messaging that encourages the use of 988.

The session also highlights resources to support behavioral health agencies in raising awareness and increasing 988 use in their communities.

Audience: Marketers, communicators, and behavioral health agencies.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

April 18, 2024 | Connecting to Serve: Promising Practices for 988 & 911 Collaboration Webinar Series; Session 4: The Road to 988/911 Interoperability Report and Understanding Lessons Learned
Date/Time:
April 18, 2024

Session 4 explores the recently released report, The Road to 988/911 Interoperability, discussing lessons on 988 and 911 integration. The webinar examines how states coordinate with partners to deliver comprehensive crisis care.

Stephanie Brooks Holliday (RAND), author of the report, will highlight different approaches to interoperability, factors that support or hinder coordination, and key considerations for aligning 988 and 911 systems.

Audience: State and local leaders, crisis care providers, 911 and 988 professionals.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

February 15, 2024 | Connecting to Serve: Promising Practices for 988 & 911 Collaboration Webinar Series; Session 3: Rural, Urban, and Tribal Communities Approaches to Collaboration
Date/Time:
February 15, 2024

Session 3 in this webinar series explored how States, Tribes, and Territories coordinate with partners to deliver comprehensive, integrated crisis care. The session highlighted how jurisdictions build key partnerships to triage calls and provide services across the crisis care continuum.

Audience: State, Tribal, and Territorial leaders; crisis system planners; service providers; and community partners.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

January 10, 2024 | Current Crisis System Implementation: Successes and Challenges
Date/Time:
January 10, 2024

This webinar explored emerging practices in crisis system design and implementation across the U.S., emphasizing the creation of a continuum of care for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises. Key topics included client-centered approaches, best practices, and cross-system collaboration. The 988 BHCCO Office also introduced the newly announced Policy Academy on Systems Design.

Audience: Crisis system planners, behavioral health leaders, and service providers.

December 14, 2023 | Connecting to Serve: Promising Practices for 988 & 911 Collaboration Webinar Series; Session 2: Engaging with Your State on 988 & 911 Coordination
Date/Time:
December 14, 2023

Session 2 in this webinar series focuses on building and strengthening partnerships within 988 and 911 coordination teams at the state level. This session explores the key partnerships that are essential for delivering coordinated, comprehensive crisis care across jurisdictions.

Audience: 988 and 911 coordinators, crisis care leaders, state policymakers, and community partners.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

November 7, 2023 | 988 Formative Research: Messaging and Communications about 988 to People at Higher Risk for or Disproportionately Impacted by Suicide
Date/Time:
November 07, 2023

This webinar previewed findings from the 988 Formative Research, offering insights to shape future culturally responsive and effective 988 communications. The focus is on raising awareness of 988 and building trust so people reach out for mental health support during a crisis.

The session also introduced resources to help behavioral health agencies and service providers increase 988 awareness and usage in their communities.

Audience: Behavioral health agencies, service providers, and communication professionals.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

October 12, 2023 | Connecting to Serve: Promising Practices for 988 & 911 Collaboration Webinar Services, Session 1: 988 & 911 Collaboration 101; The Foundation
Date/Time:
October 30, 2023

This webinar launches a national series focused on unifying 911 and 988 systems, creating a shared space to address common questions and challenges raised across the country. It aims to bring together professionals working in parallel to support collaboration, alignment, and shared learning.

Audience: 911 and 988 professionals, crisis system leaders, public safety officials, and policymakers.

Watch all webinars in this series (YouTube).

September 19, 2023 | Webinar: Introduction to SAMHSA’s Crisis Systems Response Training and Technical Assistance Center
Date/Time:
September 19, 2023

This webinar introduces SAMHSA’s Crisis Systems Response Training and Technical Assistance Center, a national resource to support the development and improvement of behavioral health crisis systems. The session will provide an overview of the Center’s mission, services, and how communities can access training, tools, and expert support.

Audience: Crisis system leaders, behavioral health providers, state and local agencies, and community partners.