How should we respond when someone experiences mental distress or crisis?
That question sat at the heart of the 2026 Crisis Now IV Summit in Washington DC, where more than 200 leaders from 12 countries came together to explore the future of crisis care.
Neami attended the summit as a core partner in the global Crisis Now movement, joining lived experience leaders, clinicians, researchers, policymakers and service providers committed to creating more effective and compassionate responses to distress and crisis.
Looking beyond traditional crisis responses
While hospitals and emergency services remain essential components of the mental health system, many discussions focused on whether people experiencing distress could often be better supported through community-based alternatives.
Across the summit, speakers acknowledged how distress is frequently shaped by experiences such as trauma, grief, isolation, housing insecurity, poverty, discrimination and relationship breakdown.
These experiences cannot always be addressed through clinical intervention alone.
Crisis care built on connection
International examples, including the United States’ 988 crisis line and community-based crisis teams, demonstrated a different approach to crisis care.
The common principles across international examples were:
- Human connection as the first response
- Community-based support before escalation
- Reduced reliance on emergency departments and law enforcement
- Recognition that recovery begins with relationships
These principles closely align with many of the approaches already being delivered through Neami’s Urgent Mental Health Care Centres, Safe Spaces and Medicare Mental Health Centres.
Learning from Australian leaders
Australian delegates made significant contributions to the summit.
Associate Professor Clinton Schultz from the Black Dog Institute highlighted the importance of First Nations leadership and perspectives, emphasising the role of culture, identity, family, community and connection to Country in wellbeing and healing.
Ellie Hodges from the Lived Experience Leadership and Advocacy Network explored how lived experience leadership should extend beyond participation and consultation to include governance, accountability and system decision-making.
Dr Mel Turner, Chief Psychiatrist of South Australia, reinforced the importance of bringing together clinical expertise, lived experience leadership, community-based responses and First Nations perspectives rather than viewing them as competing approaches.
Kim Holmes, Neami Executive Director showcased Adelaide’s Urgent Mental Health Care Centre, a first-of-its-kind Australian service that challenges traditional responses to mental health crises and provides benefits for broader health systems.
Building on Australia’s strengths in crisis care
One of the strongest reflections from the summit was that Australia already has many examples of innovation.
From Medicare Mental Health Centres and Safe Spaces to peer-led supports and First Nations initiatives, there is no shortage of effective programs.
However, these innovations often operate independently rather than as part of a coordinated crisis system.
The Crisis Now framework offers a potential model for bringing these components together through a shared vision, common language and connected continuum and system design.
“The Australian contribution to the summit reinforced that the future of crisis care is not about choosing between clinical care and lived experience, or hospitals and communities,” Kim Holmes said.
“It’s about creating systems where different forms of expertise work together to provide highly responsive, person-centred support.”
Crisis Now coming to Australia in 2028
Held bi-annually, the 2028 Crisis Now Summit will be held in Melbourne, presenting a significant opportunity to continue the conversation in Australia, strengthen international partnerships, showcase local innovation and accelerate efforts to improve crisis care systems.
(Pictured L-R) Dr Mel Turner, Dr Clinton Shultz, Kim Holmes, Ellie Hodges at Crisis Now IV