(a) The Crisis Response System shall include:
(1) A State 9–8–8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in each jurisdiction or region to:
(i) Provide a single point of entry to the Crisis Response System;
(ii) Coordinate with the national 9–8–8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to provide the full range of services provided by the national 9–8–8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, including:
1. Supportive counseling;
2. Suicide prevention;
3. Crisis intervention;
4. Referrals to additional resources; and
5. Direct dispatch or warm hand–offs to mobile crisis response and stabilization services and other immediate services as needed;
(iii) Coordinate with the local core service agency or local behavioral health authority, police, 3–1–1, 2–1–1, or other local mental health hotlines, emergency medical service personnel, and behavioral health providers; and
(iv) Provide other programs that may include:
1. A clinical crisis telephone line for suicide prevention and crisis intervention;
2. A hotline for behavioral health information, referral, and assistance;
3. Clinical crisis walk–in services, including:
A. Triage for initial assessment;
B. Crisis stabilization until additional services are available;
C. Linkage to treatment services and family and peer support groups; and
D. Linkage to other health and human services programs;
4. Critical incident stress management teams, providing disaster behavioral health services, critical incident stress management, and an on–call system for these services;
5. Crisis residential beds to serve as an alternative to hospitalization;
6. A community crisis bed and hospital bed registry, including a daily tally of empty beds;
7. Transportation coordination, ensuring transportation of patients to urgent appointments or to emergency psychiatric facilities;
8. Mobile crisis teams;
9. 23–hour holding beds;
10. Emergency psychiatric services;
11. Urgent care capacity;
12. Expanded capacity for assertive community treatment;
13. Crisis intervention teams with capacity to respond in each jurisdiction 24 hours a day and 7 days a week; and
14. Individualized family intervention teams;
(2) Community awareness promotion and training programs; and
(3) An evaluation of outcomes of services:
(i) In each jurisdiction or region, including an evaluation of:
1. 9–8–8 call, text, and chat volume;
2. 9–8–8 local answer rate;
3. 9–8–8 call, text, and chat resolution data, including:
A. The proportion of crises resolved by phone;
B. The proportion of crises resolved through mobile crisis team dispatch; and
C. The proportion of crises resolved by transfer to 9–1–1;
4. Mobile crisis team dispatch volume;
5. Mobile crisis team response time;
6. Mobile crisis team dispatch resolution data, including:
A. The proportion of crises resolved safely in the community; and
B. The proportion of crises resolved through transfer to a higher level of care;
7. Crisis stabilization center usage; and
8. Crisis stabilization center discharge data, including:
A. The proportion of crises resolved through a discharge to home; and
B. The proportion of crises resolved through a discharge to a higher level of care;
(ii) Through data obtained from consumers and family members who have received services from the Crisis Response System collected through ongoing data collection from 9–8–8 call, text, and chat providers and other crisis providers that is reported annually; and
(iii) Through annual crisis services data collection on the involvement of law enforcement, involuntary status of clients, and diversion from higher levels of care, including hospitals.
(b) The data derived from the evaluation of outcomes of services required under subsection (a)(3) of this section shall be:
(1) Collected, analyzed, and publicly reported on or before December 1 each year, beginning in 2026;
(2) Disaggregated by race, gender, age, and zip code; and
(3) Used to formulate policy recommendations with the goal of decreasing criminal detention and improving crisis diversion programs and linkages to effective community health services.
(c) The Crisis Response System services shall be implemented as determined by the Administration in collaboration with the core service agency or local behavioral health authority serving each jurisdiction and community members of each jurisdiction.
(d) An advance directive for mental health services under § 5–602.1 of this article shall apply to the delivery of services under this subtitle.
(e) This subtitle may not be construed to affect petitions for emergency evaluations under § 10–622 of this title.