Wyoming localizes mental health crisis response / Public News Service

Wyoming has ranked highest in the nation for suicide rates for four years in a row through 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the state is funding more crisis response.

About 90% of calls to Wyoming’s 988 crisis response line receive a response from within the state, according to a new report. Calls used to be routed elsewhere, but the state has worked to localize responses.

In 2020, two call centers opened in Wyoming offering 24/7 support. According to the Wyoming Department of Health, they are now fielding an average of about 500 calls from the state per month.

Kim Deti, public information officer for the department, said the state is currently working to expand the helpline’s text and online chat options statewide, and that a local connection is important.

“We believe that people in Wyoming, whether they are calling, texting or chatting, feel more empowered to connect and relate to someone close to them,” Deti explains.

A 2023 state law created a trust fund for the program but failed to include money to pay for it. This year, a proposed $40 million appropriation was cut to $10 million in the final state budget. Federal funds are also available through July 2025.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can get help by calling 988 or sending a text message.

The nonprofit Inseparable published a report this month to improve crisis response systems. It encourages states to implement policies to develop system infrastructure, accountability, staff capacity and sustainable financing.

Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer for the mental health advocacy group Inseparable, said the response to mental health emergencies should look like the response to other emergencies in terms of payment.

“The police come. They don’t ask if there’s an insurance card or a payer first. And the same goes for mental health, substance abuse, suicide crises,” Kimball urged. “We want a response either way.”

Kimball argued that in addition to Medicaid, there should also be funds for mental health crises.

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Florida is getting attention for its efforts to create a comprehensive mental health crisis response system.

A new report from mental health advocacy group Inseparable calls for policies to expand the capacity of 988 call centers, increase the availability of mobile response units, establish more crisis stabilization centers and establish stable funding mechanisms to maintain services hold.

According to Melanie Brown-Woofter, president of the Florida Behavioral Health Association, the Sunshine State is doing everything possible and more to provide care to those in need. This also includes opening more clinics.

“And now with the certified community behavioral health clinics, we’re essentially building a whole system that allows an individual in crisis to seek care and be connected to the right level of care at the right time,” Brown-Woofter explains. “And to have the resources available that they need.”

She pointed out that Florida, with mobile response teams that have been in operation for more than 30 years, is far ahead of other states. She noted that the state is spending more money to expand services and set up central receiving facilities, which are not yet available in every state.

The facilities offer what she described as a full continuum of care, from crisis intervention to residential treatment, detox services and child care, all in one location.

Angela Kimball, Inseparable’s chief advocacy officer, said the program outlines solutions to ensure everyone experiencing a mental health crisis gets the right care at the right time, and provides a detailed roadmap for lawmakers.

“Our real goal here is to create a very visual, easy-to-understand tool that helps them understand how to be that champion,” Kimball emphasized. “That helps ensure that no one’s worst day stops them from living their best life.”

Another goal for Kimball is to start conversations about what is achievable. For example, the report highlighted Oklahoma’s RideCare program, which provides non-law enforcement transportation to emergency centers. Oklahoma also distributed nearly 30,000 iPads with crisis de-escalation tools to first responders and others.

Georgia offers “Peer2Peer Warm Lines” that provide 24-hour support from trained specialists to people facing challenges and who may not require emergency assistance.

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June is Men’s Mental Health Month, and activists in Ohio and elsewhere are working to eliminate the shame and judgment men often face when struggling with mental illness.

Research shows that the prevalence of mental health problems is increasing among children and adults, but men are less likely to seek help.

Javon Howard, manager of men’s initiatives at the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, said men need to understand that it’s okay to have experienced trauma and find ways to better connect with their emotions.

“It’s important to raise awareness for men’s mental health this month because we want to encourage men to seek help,” Howard explains. “We want to encourage men to feel like they can identify for themselves when they need help, and to understand how to use the resources around them.”

Research shows that women are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety in adulthood, while men are more likely to suffer from substance use disorders and antisocial behavior. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, four times as many men die by suicide than women, and both categories are increasing.

Howard noted that men often feel like they are being seen as weak if they seek mental health care. He noted that culture often tells men to “just get over it,” to “be manly” or to “stop being a wimp.” He added that the fact that large parts of Ohio are rural rather than urban creates a special set of problems for men seeking help.

“Because Ohio is a rural state, it can be difficult to access services,” Howard pointed out. “When you live in a community where everyone knows everyone else, it’s harder to keep things closer to your own situation.”

Howard added that Men’s Mental Health Month highlights the growing number of men in the country struggling with stress, anxiety and depression. His organization hopes to change attitudes towards men seeking help to overcome their problems.

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It’s been about a year since the official end of the COVID public health emergency — which has led to a significant drop in Medicaid enrollment and a rise in the number of uninsured people in Colorado.

This poses challenges for community mental health centers like the Jefferson Center for Mental Health, where the decline in Medicaid enrollment has exceeded previous predictions. Since January, inflation has been below pre-pandemic levels.

Dr. Kiara Kuenzler, president and CEO of the Jefferson Center for Mental Health, said the center now faces a staggering $6 million deficit.

“The people we serve are in extreme distress and are having difficulty regaining their health care benefits, and that impacts not only their access to behavioral health care, but all of their health care needs,” she said.

In its 2023 Colorado Fact Sheet, nonprofit KFF recognizes the need for behavioral health at an all-time high, with more people than ever identified as reporting mental health and substance use concerns.

Kara Johnson-Hufford, CEO of Colorado Behavioral Health Care Council, emphasized the urgent need for support for these clinics. She noted that a projected deficit of $24 million to $29 million for these centers overall could mean a risk of reduced services, longer wait times and compromised care.

She added that many people who lost Medicaid coverage and now have private insurance are also seeking treatment less often — or stopping it altogether — because of co-pays and deductibles.

“More people than ever are now without insurance. They no longer qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford private insurance — or they’re giving up on Medicaid altogether because the emotional toll of the enrollment process is just too great,” she continued.

Johnson-Hufford predicted that if reimbursement mechanisms do not keep pace with need, the programs will close. Despite efforts to address the problem, such as helplines and complaints procedures, she said the funding gap remains a critical concern.

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