24/7 behavioral health crisis line services
Responsive crisis care for states and communities
As part of its crisis solutions services, Carelon helps states, agencies, and health plans establish and manage 24/7 behavioral health crisis centers. These centers provide immediate support to people who are experiencing acute mental health, behavioral health, or substance use distress.
Through a phone call, text, or online chat, individuals can reach a trained crisis specialist or licensed clinician who listens closely, assesses safety, de-escalates the situation, and connects them to appropriate care. When in-person support is needed, they coordinate with a mobile crisis response team or emergency services.
Carelon’s approach brings together national crisis line standards, local resource knowledge, and performance monitoring to help provide timely, consistent, and accountable crisis care. These services can support a standalone crisis line or connect with a broader crisis care system.
We support:
- Behavioral health agencies
- Government agencies
- Health plans
- State and local health departments
- State Medicaid agencies
Experience supporting complex crisis response services
Carelon has more than 30 years of experience managing crisis response services. Today, we support high-volume, high-acuity crisis systems in nine states, using defined protocols and performance monitoring to support the right level of care and help improve outcomes.
96%
of calls are answered within 30 seconds*
99%
of calls are resolved without transfer to 911*
* Carelon internal data, Washington State Data Dashboard YTD average, 2024.
National standards, local resources
Our call center crisis management services meet 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline standards and are accredited by the American Association of Suicidology and the International Council for Helplines. Pairing these standards with local resource networks helps us deliver consistent crisis care while connecting individuals to support in their own communities.
This connected approach enables us to:
- Evaluate the level of risk
- Coordinate a handoff to stabilization and recovery services
- Reduce unnecessary visits to emergency departments, inpatient psychiatric units, detention centers, and residential treatment centers
- Help individuals access ongoing support
- Maintain individuals in their communities and promote safer behavior
- Provide oversight for the effective use of resources, consistency of response, and quality improvement
- Track key performance indicators for crisis line and mobile responses
Key components of our crisis line services
- Person-centered, culturally relevant, and collaborative practices
- Strength-based care
- Resolution-focused responses
- Coordinated, partnership-driven service delivery to minimize harm
How we support connected, accountable crisis care
Address recovery needs
Leverage the role of peers
Provide suicide-safer care
Ensure the safety of people in crisis
Offer trauma-informed, responsive care
Establish partnerships with law enforcement and first responders
What happens when someone contacts the crisis line?
When a person contacts the client-specific toll-free number or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we follow three steps:
1. Assess and de-escalate the situation
Clinically trained crisis specialists listen, assess the person’s safety, and use local resources to support problem-solving, de-escalation, and referrals.
2. Connect to the right level of care
When the situation can be resolved by phone, text, or chat, we connect individuals to clinical, community, peer, or follow-up support.
3. Coordinate emergency response if needed
When additional support is needed, we coordinate the appropriate mobile crisis response or emergency service to help protect the individual’s safety.
Supporting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Carelon has supported the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline since its launch in 2022, including operating one of the largest national text and chat centers for English-speaking individuals and supporting text and chat services for Spanish-speaking individuals. That experience informs how we help clients operate accessible, responsive, and reliable crisis line services.
A mental health crisis center provides immediate support for people experiencing acute emotional, behavioral health, or substance use distress. Through phone, text, or chat, crisis centers help people connect to the right level of care, which may include mobile crisis response or referral pathways.
Yes. Carelon can operate 24/7 crisis line services as a standalone solution or as part of a broader crisis response system.
When a person needs in-person support, Carelon can coordinate with mobile crisis response teams or emergency services based on the individual’s level of risk and local protocols.