Suicide and Crisis Lifeline info

by Kelly Strampe

Ralph Nieder-Westermann the Executive Director of Wyoming Lifeline/988 was the featured speaker at the recent Mid Winter Blues Bash. The theme this year was Mental Health (The Blues) and the focus was to educate our community about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, an important mental health resource in Wyoming. Over 70 people attended the third annual nonpartisan community dinner, an event put on by the Hot Springs County Democratic Party. Mr. Nieder-Westermann gave a very informative presentation on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and its presence in our state.

In July 2022, 988 replaced the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (which had a much longer phone number) with a 3 digit number that is much easier to remember and dial. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a nationwide service, offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also call, text or chat 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. Nieder-Westermann explained how there are two 988 Crisis Centers that provide 24/7 services in Wyoming. He works with Wyoming Lifeline in Greybull and the other call center is the Central Wyoming Counseling Center in Casper. The 988 call center in Greybull operates from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m., while call center operators in Casper answer calls from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

After the implementation of 988 nationwide, the number of calls answered in-state by the two call centers have continued to show significant increases. This shows the success of a statewide system but there still are many in our state who do not know what 988 is or how it works. There is a misconception that you can only call 988 if you are contemplating suicide. 988 is a very important part of the state's commitment to reducing suicide-related deaths and ensuring that help is always within reach. However, the crisis line also offers support to people dealing with depression or anxiety who often benefit from having someone to talk to. Calls about loneliness or isolation are common among young people and the elderly. Someone may call because they are having difficulty coping with a stressful life event such as the death of a loved one, relationship issues with a spouse or partner, or losing a job. Veterans can also call 988 and be routed to the Veterans Crisis Line, 24/7.  

When you call 988, the call comes into the National Network Routing System. If the caller has a 307 area code it is sent to one of the Wyoming call centers. Your call will be picked up, usually within 10 seconds of when it was received. If all the operators in the Wyoming Call Center are on other calls, the system will route the call back to the National 988 system's national backup centers. No call goes unanswered. 988 stresses that you can reach out and there will always be someone on the other end of the line.

A trained crisis counselor will answer the phone, listen to the caller and assess the immediate risk. If the caller is talking about suicide, the counselor can help them make a safety plan, asking if there is someone they can talk to (parents, a friend, teacher, minister). Crisis Call Specialists will listen, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support and get you the help you need. They are trained to help with crisis intervention, de-escalation, and active rescues for callers in distress. A very small percentage of 988 calls require an in-person response. Most calls are de-escalated over the phone.

Having in-state 988 system call centers means a state 988 system means that the operators who answer the calls are Wyomingites which is very important. Nieder-Westermann said "An operator in Chicago is not going to know where Meeteetse is or understand how rural or remote it is with few close mental health services." He added that one current difficulty with the system is that calls to 988 are directed to the nearest crisis center based on the caller's area code. So if you have a 307 number, your call would be routed to a Wyoming call center which is what should happen. However, if you live in Wyoming but have a different area code, your call would be routed to a center associated with your current area code. In this case callers can request to be transferred to a Wyoming call center. While federal and state partners are exploring options to route calls based on a person's actual location (like 911 calls) rather than the phone's area code, this feature is not yet available.

It's no surprise that the 988 text-message and chat features are popular with young people. Teenagers and young adults are more comfortable with texting and reaching out in this manner. 988 Lifeline Chat and Text are available on a national basis but not yet handled by the Wyoming call centers, however text and chat will be answered in-state by the Fall.

Suicide is a significant problem in Wyoming. We have been the state with the highest suicide rates most years. We are making progress and 988 has made help more accessible than ever before. For the first time since 2017, Wyoming dropped from first to third in the nation for suicide in 2023. That's encouraging for those working in suicide prevention but there is still so much to do. For 988, one of the biggest concerns is funding. Right now, it's paid for primarily through federal COVID relief dollars, but those are expected to lapse after June 2025.  The State will need to step up.

Nieder- Westermann stressed "The welfare of all the citizens of Wyoming should be a concern of State Government. This includes their mental health."

Recent bills in the legislature include the Governor's budget, which includes funding for 988 within the Department of Health. A second House amendment (H2033) is to fund the 988 Trust Fund which was established by the legislature during last year's session.

This amendment would allocate $40M to be deposited into this trust fund which would ensure sustainable funding for the 988 system in Wyoming well into the future.