The national 988 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis number provides an opportunity to help people experiencing a behavioral health emergency get the care they need. Behavioral health crises are usually best addressed in the community by trained counselors but instead often end up with a stay in the hospital or a visit by the police. In this workshop we will discuss the history and best practices around suicide and crisis lifelines, how to explain to clients what to expect from 988, and the challenges of shifting the culture from calling 911 or going to the Emergency Department to instead calling 988. The Greater Baltimore Regional Integrated Crisis System (GBRICS) will be examined as a model to leverage the opportunity created by 988 to implement a new comprehensive call center, expansion of mobile crisis teams and same-day behavioral health appointment access along with statewide efforts to create long-term sustainability for the behavioral health crisis system.