By Amanda Seitz via The Washington Post
“The call volume is, in some instances, well beyond what we anticipated,” said Miriam Del- phin-Rittmon, assistant secretary for mental health and substance use in the Department of Health and Human Services. “It does let us know that people are struggling, people are having a hard time. Where I feel heartened is that people are getting connected to services and supports, as opposed to struggling on their own.” The 988 helpline registered 154,585 more calls, texts and chat messages during November 2022 compared to the old national lifeline in November 2021, according to the latest data available. Texting has been particularly popular, with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration noting a 1,227% increase in texts to the line during that same time. The Veterans Crisis Line — callers can press “1” after texting or calling 988 to reach it — has fielded 450,000 calls, texts and chat messages, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. By the end of the year, the line had handled a nearly 10% increase compared to 2021. Calls show no signs of slowing into this year, with counselors answering 3,869 calls on New Year’s Eve and the first day of 2023 — a 30 percent increase compared to the previous holiday. The Spanish language line saw an increase of 3,800 calls year over year from November 2021 to November 2022.
Meanwhile, some states are considering unveiling their own lines dedicated to certain communities. In November, Washington became the first state to launch a mental health crisis line dedicated to American Indian and Alaska Native people. Call- ers in Washington can reach the line by calling 988 then pressing “4” to be greeted by one of the 13 counselors — all Indigenous people — who staff the phones. Having fellow American Indians answer those calls is crucial, because those familiar with the culture can immediately decode some terms that others cannot, said Rochelle Williams, the tribal
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