HJNO Sep/Oct 2023

42 SEP / OCT 2023 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS LDH CORNER June 2022 to June 2023, there has been an average of 2,558 calls per month routed to Louisiana crisis centers. Louisiana respond- ed to an average of 224 texts and 157 chats per month since December 2022. The Office of Behavioral Health hosts a data dashboard at www.ldh.la.gov/988 to provide transparency about local 988 data. When should one call 988 vs 911? The primary goal of the Lifeline is to pro- vide support for people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress in the mo- ments they most need it and in a manner that is person-centered. The vast majority of those seeking help from the Lifeline do not require any additional interventions at that moment. Currently, fewer than 2% of Lifeline calls require connection to emer- gency services like 911. While some safety and health issues may warrant a response from law enforcement and/or emergency medical services — namely when a suicide attempt is in progress — the 988-coordinat- ed response is intended to promote stabili- zation and care in the least restrictive man- ner. Currently, a small percentage of Lifeline calls require activation of the 911 system when there is imminent risk to someone’s life that cannot be reduced during the Life- line call. In these cases, the crisis counselor Robyn Thomas 988 Team Project Lead LDH Office of Behavioral Health COLUMN LDH CORNER HOW PROVIDERS CAN HELP PROMOTE THE 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE A Resource for Anyone Experiencing Mental Health Challenges What is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline? The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (for- merly known as the National Suicide Pre- vention Lifeline) offers 24/7 call, text, and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, sub- stance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 988 is free and confidential. The purpose of 988 is to address the growing behavioral health crisis in Loui- siana and throughout the country. On July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 10-digit phone number changed to this new 3-digit phone number. This new number connects Americans in crisis with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a network of over 200 accredited local crisis call centers across the United States. Louisiana has two certified 988 Lifeline centers, one located in New Orleans, which provides coverage for area codes 504, 225, and 985, and one in Bossier City that pro- vides coverage for area codes 318 and 337. Each responds to routed calls, chats, and texts, ensuring there is 24/7 access to an in-state call center with access to local re- sources and trained staff. The two call cen- ters provide backup coverage to each other. According to the 988 website: “The United States is experiencing a suicidal, mental health, and substance use crisis.” What kind of call volume has the Lifeline been getting since 988 began in July 2022? Louisiana’s crisis centers have been working to provide a robust response to Louisiana residents who have experienced emotional stress over the last year, and we know that their work has saved lives. The national Lifeline data for May 2023 showed an increase in overall volume com- pared to May 2022. The 988 Lifeline an- swered 159,040 more contacts (calls, chats, and texts) than the previous year and sig- nificantly improved how quickly contacts were answered. The average speed to an- swer across all contacts decreased from 140 seconds to 35 seconds. Between May 2022 and May 2023, calls answered increased by 45%. In Louisiana, call volume for 988 has in- creased by 11%, and the in-state answer rate rose from 64% in June 2022 to a rate rang- ing from85% to 91%over the last year. From