Heather Loeb

Guest columnist

A few years ago I was suicidal and had to Google a 1-800 number, the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline. They had a chat feature, and as upset as I was, I didn’t think I could talk to anyone through the sobs, so I waited in the queue. 

Tears blurred my vision, but I noticed on the screen that 75 people were ahead of me. I didn’t think I could get more upset. 

I didn’t wait until it was my turn; I called a friend. Luckily, I didn’t have a plan to end my life that night. I guess I needed to vent and distinguish reality from the lies my brain was telling me. 

That was one experience, one person and one night out of many. I in no way would ever bash the Lifeline, established in 2005, but in 2022 I was elated to see that the 10-digit #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline is now the three-digit #988, the #NationalSuicideandCrisisLifeline. 

Lyssette Galvan, public policy director at #NAMI Texas, says #988 is imperative to make it easier for individuals in crisis to be connected with a trained #counselor, not only to de-escalate the situation, but to create a safe space for someone. The next steps after de-escalation depend on the severity of the crisis and services available in the area. The goal is to stabilize a person in crisis, she said.

In the first six months after the line launched (July to December), more than 2 million calls were fielded. The majority are being answered in under a minute. 

I read in a #CNN article that the average time to answer calls year over year was three minutes in 2021 versus 44 seconds in December 2022, according to Dr. John Palmieri, a senior medical adviser at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' #SubstanceAbuse and #MentalHealth Services Administration, who serves as #988’s deputy director.

What I like about #988 is that it has a special prompt for #LGBTQ+ #youth and a prompt for #veterans. Both have a higher risk of #suicide.

What worries me about the program is the funding. I know that may seem silly when you read/hear that the Biden-Harris administration increased federal investments in the #988 program from $24 million to $432 million — that’s absolutely great — but that money will go very fast if we’re talking about strengthening current call centers; investing in new ones; hiring and training #counselors for 24/7/365 coverage; paying for special crisis intervention officers; reinvesting/building new facilities to treat people who are in crisis, etc. That’s a lot of what #NAMI Texas is focusing on this 88th legislative session, which I think is a no-brainer.

#James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleOrder your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Other #NAMI Texas ideas:

- Increasing the line item for Community #MentalHealthCrisis Services in the Health and Human Services Commission budget

- Creating a monthly fee on all phone lines (how 911 was funded)

- Investing in public education and awareness of #988

Galvan said it is vital to have adequate funding to provide services for people in crisis. Within the first month of implementation of #988, Texas had 15,000 calls made with a 57% in-state answer rate. Texas has five call centers in various parts of the state but does not have the workforce necessary to answer higher call volumes.

A comparable state, Florida, has 12 call centers with a 77% in-state answer rate. Galvan said Texas needs to ensure that the state is recruiting and properly paying trained crisis #counselors to increase the in-state answer rate. It also needs to increase funding for Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams and community crisis services. 

“By equipping our #988 system with all the tools needed,” she said, “we can save lives.”

Some people might not understand why we need 988, but the advantages (to me) are clear: It’s less #stress (and money) on 911 and its dedicated resources; it’s faster (and more efficient) to connect if you’re having a #mentalhealthcrisis; and there are multiple ways for you to connect: chat, text, call.

That one night, when 75 people were ahead of me, could’ve been fatal. Thank God, it wasn’t. I have so much faith in the people who made #988 happen, the resilience and strength of the people keeping it going. The lawmakers who can turn this program into the next 911. I’m not worried about that happening again to anyone. I beseech you, legislators, please don’t make me regret my words. 

I don’t think that #988 is the answer to all of our #mentalhealthproblems, but it certainly brings light to a huge problem that has been in the dark for so long.

Let’s keep going; let’s bring everything into the light.

We can start by sharing with our friends/family what #988 is and why it’s a vital service. The first — and most important thing — is that it saves lives.

How could I have forgotten to mention that?

Sure, the program saves time. It saves money. But out of those 2 million calls in six months, how many lives must have been saved?

I leave you with that.

Facts

- 1 in 5 U.S. #adults experiences #mentalillness each year.

- 1 in 20 U.S. #adults experiences serious #mentalillness each year.

- 1 in 6 U.S. #youth aged 6-17 experiences a #mentalhealthdisorder each year.

- Half of all lifetime #mentalillness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

- #Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-14.

Source: #NAMI.org

- Every year in the U.S., more people die by #suicide than in car accidents and more #suicide deaths occur than homicides and AIDS deaths combined. 

- For every one person who dies my #suicide annually 316 seriously consider #suicide but do not kill themselves.

- The Lifeline has received more than 20 million calls from people in distress looking for support when they needed it the most (2005-2021).

Source: https://988lifeline.org/

For more than 20 years, Heather Loeb has experienced major #depression, #anxiety and a #personalitydisorder, while also battling the #stigma of #mentalhealth. She is the creator of Unruly Neurons (www.unrulyneurons.com), a blog dedicated to normalizing #depression and a member of state Rep. Todd Hunter’s #SuicidePrevention Taskforce.  

MIND MATTERS

Now more than ever we need to take care of our #mentalhealth. Guest columnist Heather Loeb discusses why and explores other important #mentalhealth topics in this special series.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/2023/03/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-mentalhealth-matters-suicidelifeline-988-is-a-vital-service-that-saves-lives/