Crisis Connections at CrisisCon26
Crisis Connections joined CrisisCon26 to share expertise in cross-team collaboration and DEIB while connecting with crisis care professionals nationwide.
Quick Take
- CrisisCon26 brought together organizations across the country who provide crisis care
- Carolyn Levitan, Crisis Connections’ VP of Clinical Care, co-led the conference
- CrisisCon26 created space for learning, collaboration, and strengthening relationships
- Crisis Connections’ teams led a session on a program launch and a DEIB panel discussion
The Crisis Connections team attended CrisisCon26 this month. The conference focused on the national crisis continuum of care: the system of services that provide support to people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. Our team was in good company alongside representatives from other crisis call centers, 988 providers, mobile crisis teams, peer support, and respite programs.
Jointly hosted by the Crisis Residential Association and International Council for Helplines, the conference brought people together to exchange knowledge and build connections.
Our Vice President of Clinical Care helped lead the way
Carolyn Levitan, Crisis Connections’ VP of Clinical Care and Board Chair of the International Council for Helplines, co-led the conference with Heather Honaker, President of Crisis Residential Association.
Carolyn said that one of her biggest takeaways is the value of CrisisCon in bringing people from across the crisis continuum together.
“We’re all navigating many of the same challenges, and no single program or organization can do this work alone. Connecting, sharing ideas, and learning from colleagues across the country helps all of us strengthen crisis care in our communities.”
From supporting the well-being of crisis workers to improving systems and operations, keynote speakers and presenters gave attendees practical information and tools they can use.
Crisis Connections teams brought collaborative work and DEIB voices to the fore
Working together for today and tomorrow
Our operations and clinical teams presented Building Team Resilience: Bridging the Gap Between Clinical and Operations, a session about the launch of Crisis Connections’ Mobile Crisis Dispatch line and collaboration across workforce management, data, and clinical teams.
As a team that is committed to growth and improvement, Scott Maple, Director of Call Center Operations, said:
“This was a valuable opportunity for Crisis Connections to share our experience launching the Mobile Crisis Dispatch line—including our successes and lessons learned—with national peers leading similar efforts. The conversation offered meaningful insight into how other organizations are managing their dispatch lines, giving us ideas we can apply to our own work. Opportunities like this allow us to exchange best practices, learn from one another, and continue improving the experience we provide to our callers.”
Erin Bourgois, Director of Service Delivery & Data Evaluation, reflected on how far Crisis Connections has come, noting the importance of looking back and acknowledging growth as we plan for the future:
“We have implemented systems to make our work more efficient. The Mobile Crisis Dispatch line implementation is an excellent example of how we’ve scaled to meet the growing needs of both the community and the organization. It demonstrates how deep collaboration pays off between the clinical and operations teams.”
Wynonna Susilo, Clinical Manager of Dispatch Hub Services, also presented. She shared clinical expertise and insights into launching programs with the support of the operations and data teams.
An active conversation on DEIB in crisis care
Ciera Young, Crisis Connections’ Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer, and Aileen Espinol, DEIB Program Manager, brought their expertise to a panel discussion with Judge Thomas Kearns of Frontier Behavioral Health and Beth Schuurmans of Washington State Department of Health. DEIB in Crisis Care: Building Sustainable Programs While Navigating Complexity, Resistance, and Risk was an open discussion that provided learning objectives and strategies.
The session explored different stages of DEIB development, including challenges. The panel gave tangible examples of starting points for crisis services organizations, ways to integrate DEIB into everyday operations, and ways to sustain those efforts.
Building relationships that strengthen crisis care for all
Megan Hampson’s work spans fundraising, marketing, and advocacy. As Chief Philanthropy & Community Relations Officer, she knows partnership and community are invaluable:
“CrisisCon brought together people and organizations who share a commitment to making crisis care more accessible and responsive to community needs. The opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and learn from one another reminds us how much stronger our work is when we collaborate.”
With CrisisCon26 in the rearview, Michelle McDaniel, Crisis Connections’ CEO, said:
“I’m incredibly proud of our teams and the expertise, innovation, and commitment they brought to CrisisCon. It was a powerful opportunity to share our work on a national stage, learn from leaders across the country and demonstrate the important role Crisis Connections plays in strengthening crisis care.”
To learn more about CrisisCon, speakers, and presenters, check out their website. Connect with Crisis Connections and our team directly on LinkedIn.