People in acute suicidal distress who reach out to the newly launched 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (“988 Lifeline”) can often opt for a 988 crisis counselor to follow up with them within 24 to 72 hours after their initial outreach. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential
A wild cranberry-colored line immediately appears as the liquid moves along the strip. No need to wait 30 seconds, let alone the 15 minutes stated in the directions—an expletive slips between my teeth. “What?” my son calls out. “What is it? Do I have Covid?” I enter his room wearing two
Child and adolescent mental health providers and families are hopeful that 988 will help shift the crisis response for young people away from 911. However, Dr. Jeff Bostic says existing mental health systems have been primarily built for people ages 18 to 65. The same is true for mental health
In February 2020, Utah’s state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn went to a legislative caucus to discuss a potential public health concern. “She came to tell us about something called Covid,” says Utah State Rep. Steve Eliason. “We were chatting before the caucus started, and I said, ‘You know, whatever happens
When Steve Miccio’s family took him to a hospital in Dutchess County, New York, he was experiencing his first manic episode. “I went in ‘Steve,’” he says, “and came out of inpatient hospitalization broken.” He points out there was no mention of hope or recovery. “It was more about what
As the Covid variant Omicron surged across the United States, people in hard-hit communities were flooding nearby emergency rooms—some because they were sick with the virus, while others were in search of Covid tests. Dr. Benjamin Druss says emergency room use during times of crisis holds up a mirror to
Steve Hamerdinger says living as a deaf person is an ongoing, exhausting battle for respect and to be understood. When he was young, his parents didn’t permit him to learn sign language. “They didn’t allow me to interact with deaf people,” he says. It wasn’t until he dropped out of
Michele LeCloux believes 988 has the potential to decrease the stigma associated with mental health. “I’m excited for 988 and to see how it changes the general perception of mental health,” she says. LeCloux is the crisis services coordinator at the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral
In January 2020, a point-in-time count in the United States revealed homelessness continues to be a public health emergency. There were 580,466 people experiencing homelessness on a single night, a 2.2% percent jump from the previous year. Nearly 40% were unsheltered and living in abandoned buildings, cars, encampments, parks, or
Nearly a year before the Covid pandemic began, behavioral health crisis professionals became physically co-located at the Tucson Police Department’s 911 call center. However, in March 2020, as communities started to implement physical distancing requirements to halt the spread of the virus, Johnnie Gasper and his colleagues were uncertain what
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