Clear Pathways, an initiative of Peg’s Foundation—the largest philanthropic mental health funder in Ohio—is now accepting applications for Cohorts 2 through 4 of its 911-988 Interoperability Technical Assistance (TA) Project. These next cohorts will build on the momentum of Cohort 1, which launched in the summer of 2026 with five Ohio sites selected to operationalize warm transfers between 911 and 988. These cohorts will advance Clear Pathways’ multi-year effort to engage 20 diverse Ohio communities to strengthen behavioral health crisis response systems across the state.
Who Should Apply
Applications are submitted by community collaboratives. At a minimum, each collaborative must include:
- A Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), which will serve as the lead agency
- The corresponding 988 Crisis Center
- The local Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMH) Board
The PSAP serves as the lead agency, signing the application and, if selected, entering into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Clear Pathways.
Additional partners encouraged but not required to participate in the collaborative include the following:
- County 911 coordinators, administrators, or directors
- Peer-led mental health and substance use organizations
- Law enforcement and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies
- Additional PSAPs and behavioral health partners
Ohio communities at any stage of readiness are encouraged to apply. Technical assistance is offered at no financial cost to sites. The 911-988 Interoperability TA Project is funded by Peg’s Foundation and is a component of the Behavioral Health Emergency Response Initiative (BHERi), a multi-state effort coordinated by NYU’s SCALE + Lab at The Marron Institute of Urban Management and funded by Blue Meridian Partners, with additional support from The Pew Charitable Trusts. Clear Pathways serves as Ohio’s implementing partner for BHERi, with other implementing partners in Michigan and Texas. This involvement gives Ohio communities the opportunity to learn from and contribute to a growing body of national evidence on effective crisis response, while bringing national expertise and resources back to the state.
What’s Involved
Selected sites receive 12-18 months of TA at no financial cost, including expert guidance, facilitation support, tools and templates, peer-to-peer learning, and implementation planning. In turn, participating collaboratives commit to:
- Completing an application form and PSAP readiness self-assessment
- Entering into an MOU with Clear Pathways
- Participating in monthly virtual TA meetings
- Engaging 911, 988, ADAMH Board, and other community partners in a shared work group
- Sharing call data for retrospective analysis
- Participating in peer learning and evaluation activities
Preview the Application or Apply Now
Want to gather your materials before applying? Download a preview of the application form to see what is required before submitting the official online form.
Key Dates
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For priority consideration in Cohort 2, communities should apply by September 21, 2026. Selected sites will be notified by October 4, 2026.
An informational session will be held on August 19, 2026, for communities that want to learn more before applying or would like assistance completing the application.
More Information and Contact
For more on the project, crisis response pilot evaluation findings, and Cohort 1 sites, read our original announcement.
Questions? Reach out to us at: interop@pegsfoundation.org.
About Clear Pathways
Clear Pathways is an initiative of Peg’s Foundation, the largest philanthropic mental health funder in Ohio, investing in scalable systems change efforts that improve behavioral health crisis response across Ohio and beyond. Clear Pathways assists local, state, and national partners with accelerating the implementation of best-practice crisis response to reduce reliance on jails and hospitals, ensuring adults experiencing a behavioral health crisis have a clear path to getting person-centered help. Learn more at https://clearpathwayscollaborative.org.
