A year after the 988 lifeline launched, the Austin call center has seen a 50% increase in crisis calls.
Karen Duran, a mental health provider supervisor, handles calls to Integral Care's crisis hotline at the agency's Dove Springs clinic.
Now, 988 connects more than 200 crisis centers across the country, including Travis County’s mental health authority, Integral Care. The hotline accepts calls in both English and Spanish. “Our call volume has gone up because people are more aware,” she said. “The more we talk about it, the more that volume will grow.”
“If somebody phones in, first and foremost, we share space with them,” Warren said. “We listen to them … and if they’re wanting some additional resources, we can absolutely provide that.” In rare cases where the caller is believed to be immediately at risk and will not agree to safety measures, police or emergency medical services may be involved, according to the federal Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, which oversees the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Handley said Integral Care’s call center was able to resolve 97% of 988 calls it responded to over the phone last year, however.
Handley said Austin 911 had received 10,000 calls for mental health assistance as of May, and that the option has bolstered cooperation between Integral Care and its partners in local law enforcement and EMS. She said Integral Care has helped train first responders and police to respond to mental health calls, and also provides its own staff at 911 call centers. Integral Care staff are also available to be dispatched into the field.
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