What is it about?
When individuals who contact crisis lines are determined by crisis responders to be at immediate risk for suicide or other undesired outcomes, crisis responders can initiate emergency dispatches that typically activate local 911 services. The purpose of this study was to determine whether emergency dispatches that were initiated by Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) responders increased behavioral health care. Findings showed that dispatches were associated with more psychiatric hospitalization, more outpatient behavioral health care among veterans who already use Veterans Health Administration (VHA) behavioral health care, and less telehealth among veterans who were not using VHA behavioral health care. We concluded that emergency dispatches increase behavioral healthcare as intended, but there is room for improvement among veterans who were not already using VHA behavioral health care services.
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Why is it important?
This study is important because crisis lines are a central suicide prevention strategy for VHA and the U.S., the introduction of 988 as the 911 equivalent for mental health has increased crisis line usage, and it shows us that emergency dispatches do increase behavioral health care, as intended.
Perspectives
As a clinician and suicide prevention researcher, it is incredibly helpful to know that crisis lines can successfully engage high-risk individuals in much needed behavioral health care. - Peter C. Britton, Ph.D.
Peter Britton
Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VA Finger Lakes Health Care System
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Behavioral Health Care Use After Initiation of Emergency Dispatches During Veterans Crisis Line Contacts, Psychiatric Services, February 2025, American Psychiatric Association,
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20240352.
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