California just took steps to strengthen its 988 crisis continuum of care. But what does that mean? AB 988 set out a vision of 988 as not just someone to call, but someone to come and somewhere to go. Yet unclear governance, unstable funding, and limited 988-911 interoperability have kept the system from reaching its full potential. The newly signed 2026-27 health budget trailer bill, AB 173, takes these challenges head on. It: → Strengthens governance and accountability → Modernizes how 988 funds are calculated and distributed → Creates a formal approval process for 988 centers → Sets a firm deadline for 988-911 interoperability → Plans for sustainable mobile crisis funding Swipe through for the details on exactly what these changes are and why it matters. Since launching in 2022, 988 has connected more than 1 million Californians to support. AB 173 is meaningful progress toward the system they deserve, but there's still more work to do to make sure every Californian in crisis ge...