The 988 suicide hotline went live in July. How is Kansas doing six months later?
Thousands of Kansans have dialed the state's 988 suicide prevention hotline since it went live in July, with Kansas performing better than the national average in ensuring those calls are answered in a timely manner.
The hotline started in the state in July following years of groundwork from officials and organizations at a state and federal level and a funding bill that passed the Legislature after a turbulent process.
The hotline has received 11,134 calls since July, with the highest volume coming shortly after the hotline was introduced, with another spike in December, with mental health professionals nationally reporting an uptick in depression and anxiety during the holidays.
That is a slight increase from the 10,213 calls received by the statewide suicide prevention hotline during the first six months before 988 officially began.
When someone dials 988, they are transferred to the crisis hotline that is closest to them geographically. In most counties, that is the Kansas Suicide Prevention Headquarters, based in Lawrence.
Wichita and Johnson County have their own centers and a Shawnee County-based organization provides backup if the other centers are at capacity. Officials hope to open a dedicated center for Wyandotte County within the next year.
More:A new suicide prevention hotline is coming — what if the Kansas Legislature doesn't fund it?
Between 84% and 91% of Kansas calls handled in state
If all operators are tied up, the call would then roll over to an out-of-state hotline, though officials have stressed that is a last resort. Some states, however, have struggled with volume, sending scores of calls to the national hotline.
Kansas, however, has fared better, with the percentage of calls handled in-state ranging from 84% to 91%, meeting a goal of at least 80% calls being answered within Kansas, though officials did say they wanted to consistently be above 90%.
The number of individuals who abandoned the call before getting help has remained below 10%, placing Kansas ahead of all of its regional peers.
"We do feel this has been an invaluable resource for Kansans in crisis and its continued funding and support is essential to ensure that residents have access to the help that they need," said Andy Brown, commissioner of behavioral health services for the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services.
Brown's testimony came before the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee as lawmakers will again decide how much funding should be appropriated for the 988 hotline and the services that are used to support individuals in crisis.
Funding has been enough to support 988 suicide hotline
The Legislature elected to use $10 million in state funds for that purpose, abandoning an effort to assess a surcharge on all cell phone bills. That legislation eventually passed but not before its future was in doubt as lawmakers tried to rope it into an apparent quid pro quo to facilitate the approval of a bill that targeted public health measures.
Brown said that amount of funding has been adequate to help stand up the line and support initiatives, such as mobile crisis units that can be dispatched to help callers and asked legislators to replenish the fund in 2023.
"We’re continuing to evaluate the funding level we’re at before deciding to make any additional recommendations," he said.
To date, there have been 200 referrals to mobile crisis units in Wichita, while only six for the statewide hotline and Johnson County Mental Health Center combined.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call Kansas' suicide prevention hotline at 988, the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night, or chat online.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: The 988 suicide hotline is six months old in Kansas. How is it going?
