A recent report on the 988 suicide and crisis hotline reveals significant disparities in its implementation across the United States, with Maryland emerging as a proactive state in bolstering the system. The 988 hotline, launched nationwide two years ago, serves as a critical mental-health crisis response service, allowing individuals to call or text for immediate support from specialized counselors at no cost. The report by Inseparable, a nonprofit organization, highlights Maryland's distinctive approach, being one of only ten states to have implemented a telecom fee to fund the hotline. This fee, introduced through legislation passed this spring, adds 25 cents per month to cell phone bills.
Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer at Inseparable and co-author of the report, emphasized the ongoing challenges despite the progress made. "We're still a long way from having the kind of system that everybody expects in every ZIP code in every part of America," she stated.
The 988 service connects individuals in crisis to mobile response teams, providing critical on-site support. The report indicates that Maryland requires 45 such teams to meet the demand adequately. Presently, only three counties and Baltimore City have these mobile response teams operational.
The establishment of the 988 hotline aimed to alleviate the burden on police and emergency rooms, traditionally the first responders to mental health crises. The report underscores the severity of the issue, noting that 40% of people in jail or prison have a mental health condition, and one in five fatal police shootings since 2015 involved individuals experiencing a mental health emergency.
In 2017, emergency room costs for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders exceeded $5 billion. Kimball stressed the importance of providing appropriate help to those in crisis, stating, "We know that with the right approach, people can get on the path to recovery. We can avoid the expense, the trauma of emergency departments, of jails, of law enforcement involvement, and really give people help when they need it most."
The report reveals that more than 80% of calls to the 988 hotline are resolved over the phone. For those requiring mobile response teams, 70% of cases are resolved in the field, demonstrating the effectiveness of the service when properly implemented.
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