In the U.S., one person dies by suicide every 11 minutes, and Black Americans have seen a huge increase. It’s now a leading cause of death, especially when police get involved. But when our people experience a mental health crisis, who else can we call?
A new crisis hotline, 988, went live on July 16, 2022, but with understaffed call centers and the still-looming danger of forced hospitalizations, the roll-out raises some concerns.
The big question for us is: will 988 still send cops to your house?
Maybe.
988 intends to have trained mental health professionals answering the phone, but around 10% of callers may need in-person help. If there isn’t a response team available to address a dangerous situation, cops could be on their way.
Mentally ill civilians are 16 times more likely to be killed by police, making up 25% of all the people police kill. The stakes are even HIGHER for Black people in crisis.
Black people requiring mental health support NEED a safe, effective alternative to policing. But 988 may not truly work without proper resources and organization - and without police to kill us in the first place.