National 988 crisis hotline launches this weekend
Call takers for Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners, the organization running Colorado's state mental health crisis hotline, say they are expecting their phones will be busier than ever when 988 goes live.
"It's all hands-on deck," CEO Bev Marquez said.
988 will be the new number for the nation's mental health crisis & suicide prevention hotline.
Marquez who has been leading preparations in Colorado say the hope is that this will be easy to remember, and more accessible.
"We think people will call it instead of perhaps 911 or going to the emergency department," she said.
Doctor Emmy Bets is an emergency room doctor at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus who has specialized in the importance of suicide prevention for years sees that as one of the biggest benefits.
"Having a number to call with specialists who know how to work with you and figure out what the next step is huge, because it saves lives," she said.
Dr. Bets says while Colorado is fortunate to have well established crisis services already in place, we also have a much larger need than most.
"In Colorado, even though we think of ourselves as this really healthy happy outdoor state. We have one of the highest suicide rates in the country I think we're seventh highest in the nation," she said.
And while Colorado may be ahead of the curve when it comes to preparations for the launch there are concerns that states building their call centers from the ground up will not be ready.
"For them to put their systems together, get their technology, hire their teams, train them and figure this all out in the six months that we've had to do it is not very realistic and probably fair to them," Marquez said.
She says there will be backup call centers to help those states who need assistance as well.
While Colorado's focus has long been on staffing, she says they have been able to access a statewide workforce - by allowing call takers here to work from home.
And while she says it may take other states time to work out some of the kinks, she says this a move that is long overdue.
"More people will be able to get assistance, because of this this transformation," she said.
The 988 number works based on your area code, so if you are in Colorado but you don't have a Colorado number, you'll be directed to a call taker in your state.
Experts say if you need assistance and are in Colorado, you can call the state hotline directly.
Call 1.844.493.TALK (8255) for free immediate response.
