988 health crisis hotline implemented in KY

Kentuckians facing a risk of suicide, mental health distress or an addiction crisis can now call a new easy-to-remember three-digit mental health crisis hotline, 988, to speak with trained and compassionate counselors, who can help.

“Many of our callers just need a non-judgmental ear to listen to them and then they feel better. We have some callers, who call multiple times a month, but this keeps them out of the hospital and alive,” said Cumberland River Behavioral Health Victims Services Director/Emergency Services Director Cecelia White.

“The new hotline is being marketed nationally as a mental health and substance abuse hotline, as well as a suicide prevention hotline. It is also an easy to remember number that is nationwide, so no matter where a person is in the country, they can call 988 and be connected to a crisis line worker. All centers have been required to meet certain criteria to become a 988 call center, therefore no matter which center answers a call, there will be some standard questions asked and protocol followed.”

Cumberland River Behavioral Health, which is the local community mental health center, has existed for over 50 years and has had a general crisis line for over 25 years, but has answered calls as part of the National Suicide Prevention Line since 2014. It answers calls from its eight-county service region, which includes Whitley, Knox, Laurel, Bell, Harlan, Rockcastle, Clay and Jackson counties.

“We currently receive between 70 and 120 calls per month but that rate is projected to increase to 583 calls per month with the new 988 number. We will be continually monitoring the number of calls we receive since the 988 number went into effect on July 16 and will be adjusting staffing based on need,” White said.

The local line is manned by trained staff at Cumberland River’s Crossroads location near Corbin. Crossroads is a residential male substance use treatment facility.

All staff, who work at Crossroads, are trained to answer calls. When the facility is fully staffed, there are 25 employees. There is a supervisor available 24/7 for call takers to ask questions of, problem solve, and support call takers.

All community mental health centers in Kentucky are answering 988 calls.

Calls are routed to the closest center to the caller whenever possible because the local call centers know the resources in their area where other centers might not be aware of services throughout the state or county, White said.

“For years, we have answered calls from people who were in multiple types of crisis, including suicide, mental health crisis, life stressors, relationship crisis, and substance use crisis. We have always trained our staff to recognize that just because a caller was not experiencing suicidal ideation does not mean that their crisis was not serious and could not lead to suicidal thoughts and actions if relief was not found,” White said.

“We also answers calls from people who are concerned about a family member or friend. If the person in crisis is present with the caller, we always ask to speak to the person. If they are not present, then we provide resources to the caller for their family member or friend.”

988 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Crisis call takers are trained to help callers’ recognize and use their natural self-care skill.

“Additionally, sometime in the next year, we will likely expand our services to some crisis text and/or chat,” White added.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for youth and young adults in Kentucky.

According to the Kentucky Youth Risk Behavior Survey released in September 2021, 15 percent of Kentucky high school students reported having seriously considered suicide during the previous year. In addition, 17.4 percent of Kentucky middle school students, or nearly 1 in 5, reported that they had seriously considered taking their own life at some point.

“The implementation of this new number comes during a time when Kentuckians are burdened with emotional strains and stressors in our communities,” said Kentucky Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services Eric Friedlander.

“The 988 lifeline helps us to build stronger more resilient communities, and this new number will help ensure adequate access for all to mental health care, including residents of all ages living in all communities, as well as the underserved.”