Texas must prepare for success of the 988 mental health crisis hotline: NAMI El Paso

People experiencing a mental health crisis now have an easier way to get the help they need. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released data showing that since the summer rollout of 988 as the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, mental health crisis calls increased 45% compared with the same time last year, andmost of those calls were connected to a counselor. The new three-digit national suicide prevention and mental health crisis lifeline is a transformative moment for mental health in America because it normalizes reaching out for mental health help and reduces law enforcement involvement with people experiencing emotional or mental distress. By connecting people directly to community-based mental health services, we have a real opportunity to remove the shame associated with asking for help and end the needless cycling of people through emergency rooms and jails, which are ill-equipped to handle ongoing mental health care. This is truly a moment to celebrate.

However, there’s still a lot of work that needs to happen to make this initiative successful, particularly in Texas. The 2022 State of Mental Health in America report ranks Texas last in overall access to mental health care. We are in desperate need of an adequate mental health crisis workforce made up of call centers, mobile crisis outreach, and crisis stabilization for individuals living with mental illness. The Texas State Legislature must show its support for 988 by funding policies to address the dismal state of mental health treatment in Texas.

Although 95% of Lifeline calls are connected to a trained counselor within 60-90 seconds, only 38% of calls within Texas to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline are answered locally, one of the lowest rates in the nation. With 796,000 adults and more than 314,000 children in Texas experiencing serious mental illness, many call centers are already overburdened; 988 is expected to increase demand on the existing call centers, and there are no current plans to expand capacity. Thus, more calls coming into understaffed call centers will result in more calls going out of state. While 988 can reroute calls to 911 when appropriate, those callers rerouted to out-of-state centers often wait two to three times longer, receive fewer linkages to effective local care, and are more likely to hang up.

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Another concern is that aside from call centers, Texas does not have appropriate co-responder teams to respond to mental health calls in a timely manner or respite facilities for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Although as many as 80% of calls can be handled and de-escalated at the call center level, up to 20% require assistance from a mental health professional. It’s estimated that mental health situations make up at least 20% of police calls for service, meaning 911 operators and law enforcement are consistently on the front lines of mental health crises, often leading to the use of force and/or hospitalizations. Many police departments, including those in Texas, have made strides to educate and train officers in crisis intervention, but the truth is, it is simply not their job. Mental health crises should be treated with a mental health response. Unfortunately, Texas and the nation are facing a mental health workforce shortage, driven by bureaucratic hurdles, inadequate compensation, and the demands of the work. People who work in mental health are heroic, and we must incentivize those who have a passion for this difficult work by paying them what they’re worth.

988 certainly isn’t the solution to all our state’s mental health problems. Other steps we need to take include continued mental health training for law enforcement, jail diversion programs, and having a social worker, paramedic, and/or mental health professional on police calls that involve people in mental distress. People living with mental health conditions are no more dangerous than anyone else in the community—but they do need support, encouragement, and access to effective treatment as early as possible.

The bottom line is this: if legislators are going to continue attributing violence to mental illness, they need to put money where their mouth is. Now is a pivotal moment for our state to step up and take a strong stance on mental health. Now is the time to commit to 988 by fully funding the initiatives that will make it a success.

Are you ready to help change the mental health conversation? Contact your local members of congress and tell them you support the 988 implementation act. Sign the Reimagine Crisis petition and/or share your mental health story today: https://reimaginecrisis.org/.

Isidro Torres is the executive director of NAMI El Paso,Kate Hix is the executive director for NAMI Central Texas, and Greg Hansch, LMSW, is the executive director of NAMI Texas. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Hix and Hansch and do not necessarily reflect the views of NAMI Central Texas or NAMI Texas.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas must prepare for success of 988 Mental Health Crisis Hotline