Clinicians cannot always directly or effectively engage patients experiencing mental health crises. This article considers the common practice of relying upon law enforcement personnel to facilitate mental health checks and considers its implications for Black patients. An antiracist approach to decriminalizing acute exacerbations of mental illness requires clinicians' engagement in educating, training, and policymaking. This article recommends strategies for effective real-time communication before, during, and after a 911 call involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis.
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