Because your system is incomplete. Nearly every city lacklusterly put their 988 system together by simply hiring one of a dozen out of state (but sometimes intrastate) call centers to answer their 988 calls, but hardly any Cities modified or created a response procedure to compliment the 988 system. Cities continue to use barely trained CIT officers thinking it's sufficient because they are focusing on financial "liability" more than responding to calls. The ESB is a "response" system. It allows users to tap a button (instead of having to look up one of the many crisis hotline providers' number within a city) to connect to a licensed mental healthcare emergency crisis responder. If necessary, this responder can be dispatched to their location.

The 988 system Cities put into operation in July is operationally no different than when 911 dispatchers were answering. The only difference now is the call centers have hired specialist operators. If a caller needs in-person help, an untrained Police officers is sent; THEN a supervisor; THEN maybe a CIT officer; to get the call handled quickly, an ambulance is called where untrained EMTs try to coerce the person in need into their ambulance to send to a physician at an emergency room. Hours later when the physician is able to see them, they can diagnose hospitalization. In most cases, this is when a crisis responder who is employed by one of the City's mental health facilities is finally called (but sometimes sooner). 12-15 hours later, depending upon the hours of the facility, the user finally receives help.

The ESB cuts this time down to minutes. There is no redundancy in police response (unless the city has no established procedure) fire trucks, EMTs or other, saving millions of dollars and man hours.