National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Prevention Day Brings Students And Advocates To The Capitol

Advocates gathered under the capitol dome Monday to educate lawmakers about the prevention of addictions and mental health struggles.

Organizations from across the state spent Monday morning manning tables throughout the rotunda, educating the public and lawmakers about their prevention efforts against many issues, from gambling to tobacco use.

Sheila Moran is director of marketing and communications for First Choice Services which operates several programs and helplines to provide access to behavioral health and social services.

Moran said while emergency services are vital, she wishes people would reach out before a crisis so First Choice Services can offer them prevention tools.

“There is a strong prevention component, Moran said. “We really wish people would call us sometimes before things get to a crisis, maybe a family member who’s concerned about someone in their life who may be suicidal, they can call our 988 line and they can get a heads up, they can get some advice, some guidance to provide their loved one.”

Moran said she was encouraged by the show of participation and support from youth attending the event.

“I’ve been heartened to see how many of the young people have come up to our table,” she said. “So I think it’s a really different environment than it was many years ago. You know, so many of these kids are involved in clubs and organizations that are talking about some of the dangers.”

One of those student participants was Colt Castle, a seventh grader from Washington Middle School who attended the event as part of the Pocahontas Youth Coalition.

“We will throw parties every month, to give people a sense of community to come to, instead of going out committing crimes and doing drugs,” Castle said.

Castle said his involvement in the group came from a deep sense of community.

“I wanted to help create a better sense of community, so that people wouldn’t go to jail for it, and wouldn’t die because of it,” Castle said.

Debbie Goff with Putnam Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) said her student-led organization chooses which issues to address in their community.

“We come into the community, we do a lot of educating students, it’s student-led, so that students actually decide what issues they want to tackle the most,” Goff said. “Right now, it’s mental health and vaping.”

Goff said she hopes the education SADD provides its participants with will arm them in making decisions in the future.

“I’m not naive enough to think I’m gonna stop every kid from trying something,” Goff said. “But what do they do? What, how do they know? Give them the education and make that choice.”

DHHR To Distribute Federal Funding For Mental Health And Substance Use Services

In a release, the DHHR outlined seven grant programs that will support various health initiatives across the state.

More than $33 million in federal funding was awarded to the Bureau for Behavioral Health (BBH) to enhance mental health and substance use prevention services for West Virginians.

Federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will support prevention, early intervention, treatment and recovery services across the state.

“BBH and its partners are seizing every opportunity to meet our state’s behavioral health needs,” said Dawn Cottingham-Frohna, commissioner for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ (DHHR) Bureau for Behavioral Health. “With this funding, we are not only addressing the immediate needs of our communities but also investing in the long-term well-being of West Virginians.”

In a release, the DHHR outlined seven grant programs that will support various initiatives:

The Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders program will provide $750,000 annually for five years from the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand health care provider’s capacity to screen, assess, treat and refer pregnant and postpartum women for maternal mental health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD). BBH is partnering with the West Virginia Perinatal Partnership’s Drug Free Moms and Babies Project to implement the program.
The Children’s Mental Health Initiative will provide $3,000,000 annually for four years to provide resources to improve the mental health outcomes for children and youth up to age 21, who are at risk for, or have serious emotional disturbance or serious mental illness and their families with connection to mobile crisis response and stabilization teams and other community-based behavioral health services through the 24/7 Children’s Crisis and Referral Line (844-HELP4WV).
The First Responders – Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Grant will provide $800,000 annually for four years to build upon the Police and Peers program implemented by DHHR’s Office of Drug Control Policy. The activities will be administered by the Bluefield Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center, Fayette County Health Department and Logan County Health Department.
The Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness grant will distribute $300,000 annually for two years to support the system of care for adults in West Virginia and promote access to permanent housing and referral to mental health, substance abuse treatment and health care services. Grantees are located in areas of the state with the most need, based on the population of individuals experiencing homelessness, including the Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless, Prestera Center, Raleigh County Community Action, the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness and Westbrook Health Services.
The Promoting the Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care grant will provide $1,678,044 annually over five years to serve adults with serious mental illness who have co-occurring physical health conditions or chronic diseases and adults with SUD. Three provider partner agencies have been identified to work on this project including Seneca Health Services Inc., Southern Highlands Community Behavioral Health Center and United Summit Center, covering 16 counties in the state.
The Cooperative Agreements for States and Territories to Improve Local 988 Capacity will provide $1,251,440 annually for three years to enhance the capacity of West Virginia’s single 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline center, which is funded by BBH and operated by First Choice Services, to answer calls, chats and texts initiated in the state. In addition to this award, First Choice Services received $500,000 from Cooperative Agreements for 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Crisis Center Follow-Up Programs and a National Chat and Text Backup Center award from Vibrant Emotional Health to help answer overflow chats and texts from more than 200 local 988 centers nationwide.
The Behavioral Health Partnership for Early Diversion of Adults and Youth will provide $330,000 annually for five years to establish or expand programs that divert youth and young adults up to age 25 with mental illness or a co-occurring disorder from the criminal or juvenile justice system to community-based mental health and SUD services.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

988 Suicide Line Shares Success Stories

The new three-digit national crisis line took five million calls in its first year of operation.

September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, but all year long, the 988 suicide and crisis hotline takes calls and messages from people experiencing mental health crises.

In July 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline became 988, an easy-to-remember lifeline created to help people dealing with depression, substance use and suicidal ideation, and get more immediate help and be guided to additional resources.

The new three-digit national crisis line took five million calls in its first year of operation. Federal officials say that is up 35 percent compared to the old 10-digit line.

Since 2022, 988 has answered more than 665,000 text messages, a 1,135 percent increase from the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline the year before 988 went live. The 10-digit line only added text messaging in 2020.

Rozanna Bracken, the director of the West Virginia 988 line, read some anonymous appreciation messages from people who have contacted 988 in West Virginia:

“I appreciate you, counselor. It may not seem like it, but you helped me to center myself. And I was simply trying to thank you and tell you that it’s apparent that you are a light in a very dark place for a lot of people.”

“Thank you for talking to me and taking time out of your day to speak to me. I hope you have an amazing rest of your week, and you’re the reason why many people are still here today.”

“Thank you, counselor. You probably hear this a lot, but you really helped me feel better about everything. I feel so much better. And it’s like I finally was able to let some stuff off my chest, you were a really big help with everything.”

“You really saved my life tonight; you are constantly saving lives and I honor you for that. I’m glad you saved mine.”

“If I need you guys ever again, I know where to find you. Go save more people, it must take a lot of strength to do what you do. Then again, I thank you.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of harming themselves or others, they can text or call 988 at any time for help.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

September Is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

The goal of the 988 line is to connect people in crisis with someone in their community who can point them to local resources.

Suicide is a major public health concern and a leading cause of death in the U.S. according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

West Virginia’s age-adjusted suicide rate was higher than the national level in 2021. The age-adjusted suicide rate per 100,000 in the U.S. was 14.1 in the same year West Virginia’s rate was 20.6.

In 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline became 988, an easy-to-remember number created to help people dealing with depression, substance use and suicidal ideation and more get immediate help and be guided to additional resources.

First Choice operates several programs and helplines across six states including West Virginia with the common goal of promoting well-being and helping those in need access behavioral health and social services.

“We have counselors, trained crisis counselors available 24/7 every day of the year to answer calls, chats and texts for people in crisis, or having thoughts of suicide,” said Rozanna Bracken, the director of the West Virginia 988 line.

The lines give people the option to talk to someone who will not judge them about what is going on in their lives, and receive guidance for healthy coping mechanisms.

“That’s kind of the biggest benefit, I think, is the availability of the line, no matter who reaches us, you know, if you’ve got internet or phone, you’re able to reach out, you don’t have to have a certain speed of internet or anything,” Bracken said.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of harming themselves or others, they can text or call 988 at any time for help.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Suicide Prevention Among Bills Approved By House Committee On Education

Students in crisis may not need to look any further than their student IDs for help if a bill passes the West Virginia Legislature. House Bill 3218 contains a requirement to print suicide prevention resources on both sides of student identification cards.

Students in crisis may not need to look any further than their student IDs for help if a bill passes the West Virginia Legislature.

House Bill 3218 contains a requirement to print suicide prevention resources on both sides of student identification cards.

That would include numbers for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line.

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by dialing 9-8-8.

Students can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting H-O-M-E to 741-741.

The ID cards would be made available at any school that issues ID cards for students in grades 6-12. It would also apply to any public or private institutions of higher education.

The bill was sent to the House floor with full recommendation that it pass.

The committee also visited other bills including House Bill 3271 that would expand current law to require an audio recording device be present in the restroom of every Special Education self-contained classroom by Aug 1.

The committee voted to pass the bill as amended to the floor with recognition that it first be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Senate Bill 275 adds State Fire Marshals to the statute to be included with law enforcement and first responders that receive information on school safety requirements. The bill was also sent to the full House with the recommendation that it pass. House Bill 3259 would exempt county school buses from paying a toll at turnpikes. The committee motioned to postpone consideration of the bill over concerns regarding its constitutionality.

W.Va. Receives More Than 850 Calls To New Suicide Prevention Call Line

West Virginia recently switched to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number. The easy to remember three digit number has since proven successful.

As of Tuesday, Aug. 9, the new 988 suicide and crisis lifeline had received 855 calls.

Christina Mullins, commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Bureau for Behavioral Health, said she is pleased with what she termed a “modest” increase in calls for help.

“I think what is really important and a good sign of the transition itself is that our answer rate for July was at 93 percent to keeping our calls in-state so we have a better chance of connecting our residents to in-state resources.”

The number serves as a universal entry point to immediately connect people in distress with a trained crisis counselor. With options for voice calls, chat and text — the line is easily accessible.

The state also offers mobile crisis services for children and crisis teams for adults. As the state reimagines its crisis response system, Mullins said the next step is finding a physical location to send people who need help to, such as a walk-in urgent care center for mental health.