People experiencing mental health emergencies have a new way to access help. 988 is the new national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It connects people experiencing mental health crises with trained mental health professionals. The new service is designed to be an alternative to calling 911, which is not set up to address mental health needs. Patients and advocates say 988 may be an effective way to avoid interaction with law enforcement, which sometimes leads to further trauma.
This hour, we discuss how 988 will work at the local level, and we hear from mental health advocates about their perspectives related to diversionary services. Our guests:
- Deborah Turner, program director of the 211/LIFE LINE Program at Goodwill of the Finger Lakes
- Kristina Mossgraber, COO of NAMI Rochester
- David Morgenstern, bipolar patient and mental health advocate