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A Call for Comfort Brought the Police Instead. Now the Solution Is in Danger. - KFF Health News

KFF Health News
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Lynette Isbell dialed a mental health hotline in April 2022 .

She wanted to talk to someone about her midlife troubles: divorce, an empty nest, and the demands of caring for aging parents with dementia.

Police arrived at her home in Terre Haute , Indiana , handcuffed her, and had her committed to a hospital.

Federal officials viewed the launch of 988 as the linchpin to reenvision the mental health crisis system.

Indiana 's 988 hotline received 4.8 million calls, texts, and chats in its first year .

The federal government has terminated federal grants earmarked for Indiana and other states to tackle mental health and substance use issues.

In Indiana , behavioral health professionals lead the response via mobile crisis teams, not law enforcement.