Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Final Preparations For National 988 Suicide Hotline Rollout
The Washington Post: The National Suicide Hotline Is Changing To 988 Starting Saturday
The nationwide hotline for mental health emergencies switches to a simple 988 number on Saturday, a transition that is expected to bring millions more calls, chats and texts into a system where readiness to handle the surge varies from place to place. At the same time, advocates hope the renewed focus on emergency assistance, and the spending that has accompanied it, will prompt expansion of other mental health services that are in desperately short supply in many communities. (Bernstein, 7/14)
Roll Call: National 988 Crisis Hotline Readied For Rollout
The long-awaited three-digit crisis hotline known as 988 rolls out nationally Saturday, a win for mental health advocates who see the simplified number as the first step on a path toward building out crisis care. (Raman, 7/14)
Modern Healthcare: States Prep For 988 Mental Health Hotline's National Debut
"What's different and ambitious about the 988 project is that over time there are goals to have every call to the lifeline answered within local communities as opposed to as part of a national network, and also to couple the availability of call response in communities with a continuum of care to respond to and provide follow up for individuals who contact the lifeline," said Dr. Rebecca Brendel, president of the American Psychiatric Association. (Devereaux, 7/14)
Side Effects Public Media: Hope And Questions Abound As A New Mental Health Crisis Line Is Set To Launch
There’s also apprehension over whether the other parts of the so-called crisis care continuum — such as mobile crisis teams staffed with mental health professionals and community-based treatment options — will be ready to meet the expected increase in demand. Federal officials expect up to 12 million calls, chats, and texts could come into 988 in its first year, and research suggests around 20 percent of those contacts will need some sort of in-person response. (Levi, Krebs, Herman and Barrett, 7/14)
KQED: A New Mental Health Crisis Line Launches On Saturday. Is California Ready To Operate It?
911 intervention will be still be rare, says Michelle Doty Cabrera, executive director of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California. “When a person calls 911, they are expecting help to come to them,” she says. “If a person's calling a national suicide prevention hotline for emotional support, they may not want anyone to know who they are, let alone where they're at in that moment.” (Dembosky, 7/14)
In other mental health news —
The Colorado Sun: Colorado Mental Health Providers Say They Were “Blindsided” Again
Colorado mental health counselors in private practice say they’ve been surprised once again with new rules that will make it harder to treat the state’s most vulnerable patients: those with Medicaid insurance. (Brown, 7/14)
