988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline) counselors are trained to support people in crisis and work in good faith to provide lifesaving help. However, many don’t have the same legal protections as 911 operators. As the 988 Lifeline continues to grow, there’s a clear need to strengthen liability protections for these counselors.
This webinar explores the scope of 988 liability protections, focusing on how they relate to coordination with mobile crisis teams and 911/Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). It also highlights current efforts across the country to strengthen these protections. Representatives from Boys Town in Nebraska and FirstLink in North Dakota shared lessons learned from passing liability protection legislation and discussed the benefits of these protections. They also provided insights into how 988 Lifeline training and supervision help prevent negligence and misconduct in supporting those seeking help. In addition, Amanda Miller, Director of Crisis Continuum Services at Vibrant Emotional Health, spoke about the differences between 911 and 988 liability protection, 988 liability challenges and gaps, and a Q&A session was held at the end. This webinar had real-time captioning and ASL interpretation.
- Presenters:
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- Kyle Kinney, Boys Town, Nebraska
- Jennifer Illich, FirstLink, North Dakota
- Amanda Miller, Director of Crisis Continuum Services, Vibrant Emotional Health
Moderated by Amanda Miller, Director of Crisis Continuum Services, Vibrant Emotional Health
