Why You Should Dial 988 Instead of 911 When a Homeless Person Is in Distress Calling 911 on Someone in a Mental Health Crisis Can Make Things Worse. There’s a Better Option. For unhoused folk, stigma and misconception can pose serious threats to their safety, particularly with anti-homeless legislation on the rise. In many public spaces, acts of survival like sitting and standing are against the law for homeless people to engage in. Unnecessary contact with police officers increases the risk of brutality and removes law enforcement officials from their duty to fight actual crime. This is why calling the cops on homeless people is usually ill-advised. But what should you do if you see an unsheltered person squirming in the heat, suffering from something that looks like a heart attack, or appearing to be mentally unwell? The answer is to dial a different number… 988. 988 Is the National Crisis Lifeline Established in 2020 and nationally implemented in 2022, 988 was designed to be an easy-to-remember alternative to its counterpart, 911. (Note: 911 should still be called for immediate physical emergencies like a heart attack.) This distinct line puts vulnerable people in touch with professionals who were trained to help them through crises. Comprised of an interwoven network of more than 200 crisis centers, 988 has counselors on hand providing free and confidential services anytime, anywhere. Those counselors are trained and equipped to meet unsheltered residents where they’re at, both figuratively and literally. “988 operators send mobile teams out in response to the calls,” explained Bruce Lockett, who is a Philadelphia-based mobile crisis director for Elwyn. “In most states, mobile teams are dispatched to the location of the crisis, depending on the severity of the situation.”