GLE supports international Crisis Now Summit in Washington, DC

The Global Leadership Exchange (GLE) was delighted to work alongside RI International and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) to deliver the Crisis Now Summit IV in Washington, DC, at the end of July.

Bringing together leaders, policymakers, clinicians and system partners from across the United States and beyond, this year’s Summit explored the theme “Proving the Promise of Crisis Care – What Works”, showcasing practical examples of how modern crisis care systems are transforming support for people experiencing mental health crises.

A major focus of the event was the continued development of the 988 crisis response system across the United States, with delegates hearing about the progress made in building a comprehensive, integrated crisis care infrastructure. Participants also learned from international examples of implementing crisis helplines and explored how different countries are adapting their own approaches to meet local needs.

Throughout the Summit, speakers shared evidence and practical experience across the full crisis care continuum, including innovative community-based crisis services, crisis receiving and stabilisation facilities, mobile crisis response teams, and the system leadership required to develop sustainable mental and behavioural health infrastructure at scale.

The event reinforced the value of international collaboration in tackling shared challenges and accelerating improvement. By bringing together expertise from different health systems and sectors, delegates exchanged ideas, explored emerging evidence and identified opportunities to strengthen crisis care in their own countries.

GLE will continue to work closely with RI International and NASMHPD to build on the learning from the Summit, creating new opportunities for shared problem-solving, knowledge exchange and international collaboration across our global community. Together, we aim to support leaders in developing more responsive, compassionate and effective crisis care systems that improve outcomes for people experiencing mental health crises.