Mayor’s Minute By Stewart Welch III - September 2022

Remember this number: 988

Since the COVID pandemic hit America in early 2020, the instances of mental health crises have risen sharply. Isolation, fear of catching COVID, and for many of us, knowing someone who perished from the virus has taken its toll.

Often, when someone faces a mental health crisis, they, nor their friends and family, know where to turn for help.

On July 16, our state and county launched a service center that anyone can easily access by dialing or texting 988. Easy to remember, a 988 call will connect you to a trained crisis specialist at any time of day or night. The caller may be the person in crisis or a family member or friend. The range of crises is unlimited and might include a mental health crisis, thoughts of suicide or substance abuse. The trained specialists have a multitude of resources at their disposal including training in de-escalation of the crisis, referrals to appropriate resources as well as the ability to get a person into a healthcare facility immediately.

According to Kimberly Boswell, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Health, this new 988 system will accomplish the following:

► Prevention and decrease in suicides and other negative outcomes

► A change in the community response of behavioral health crisis issues

► A decrease in law enforcement responses to mental health crisis

► A reduction in jail bookings and hospital emergency room admissions related to mental health crises

No community is immune from the mental health crisis. This new 988 system is a giant step forward for simplifying access to much needed services.