How does 988 work?

988 is a direct, three-digit lifeline that connects you with trained behavioral health professionals that can get all Oklahomans the help they need.

Getting help can be hard.
So we made it easier.

The mental health professionals on the other end of the line are here to help guide you.

Call the Lifeline

It all starts when you call 988. You'll be connected to a mental health professional to talk you through what's going on and get the resources you need for either yourself or your loved one. About 90% of the time, things can get sorted out with just a phone call. But if you need more help, we got you.
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IF MORE HELP IS NEEDED…

Connect with a Mobile Crisis Team

If you or your loved one need more help after your initial phone call, the 988 call center will send a mobile crisis team to assess things and intervene if necessary. About 7 in 10 crises can be resolved at this touchpoint.
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IF MORE HELP IS NEEDED…
IF EVEN MORE HELP IS NEEDED…

Get Transportation

Some people need more in-depth care. If this is the case, transportation will be provided to help Oklahomans in need safely arrive at an Urgent Care and Crisis Center.
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IF EVEN MORE HELP IS NEEDED…

Check In at an Urgent Care and Crisis Center

For those of us that need higher touch help, an Urgent Care and Crisis Center has your back. These centers are staffed 24/7/365 with licensed local medical professionals, nurses, and peers who have been through it themselves. Every center accepts both drop-offs from first responders and walk-ins.
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Follow-Up Appointments

At any point in your journey, the 988 call center can help set up a same-day or next-day appointment with your closest mental health provider. You might see a provider to begin therapy, start a medication, or in a small number of cases, receive inpatient treatment. 988 has this relationship with every Community Mental Health, Community Behavioral Health, and Comprehensive Community Addiction Recovery Center in the state of Oklahoma.

If you want to know more about how 988 works in the state of Oklahoma, visit the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse.

What is an Urgent Care and Crisis Center?

Mental health is healthcare, and sometimes getting better takes more than a conversation. If a person calls 988 and requires additional support, Urgent Care and Crisis Centers are an option.

Urgent Care and Crisis Centers offer accessible mental health and substance abuse care where people can stabilize and receive professional help during a crisis. Functioning much like a hospital ER, Urgent Care and Crisis Centers accept 24/7/365 walk-ins, as well as ambulance, fire, and police drop-offs. 

Keeping care local is important to feeling heard. That’s why each of these facilities is staffed with a team of local psychiatrists, nurses, licensed behavioral health practitioners, and peers with similar lived experiences to the population they serve.

View URCs and Crisis Centers in your area

Mobile Crisis Team Partners

  • Carl Albert Community Mental Health Center
  • Central OK Community Mental Health Center
  • Community Bridges, Inc
  • CREOKS
  • Family and Children’s Services
  • GRAND Mental Health
  • Green Country Behavioral Health
  • Hope Community Services
  • Jim Taliaferro Community Mental Health
  • Lighthouse Behavioral Health
  • NorthCare
  • Northwest Center for Behavioral Health
  • Red Rock Behavioral Health

The data

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