According to the Department of Health and Human Services, most people with mental illness are not violent.[1] Despite this, police officers often end up serving as the first responders to mental health calls, at times resulting in fatal consequences. In 2016, 242 individuals known to have mental illnesses were fatally shot by police, a number that fell to 236 in 2017.
Meanwhile, the country’s demand for professional mental health help is high. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 988, the new national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, has had an average of 353,000 monthly calls, chats, and texts since its launch in July 2022.
