Member Login | Join HCAOA
Home Care Association of America
  • Membership Resources
    • Member Login
    • Code of Conduct
    • Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Product & Services Guide
    • Join HCAOA
    • Benefits: Agency Membership
    • Benefits: Associate Membership
  • State Chapters
    • Alabama
    • Arizona
    • California
    • Connecticut
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Illinois
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • South Carolina
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
  • Education/Events
    • Calendar
    • National Home Care Conference >
      • 2023 Call for Speakers
  • Advocacy/Policy
    • Bring the Vote Home
    • Advocacy Fund
    • State of Home Care: Industry at Crossroads
    • Home Care Workforce Action Alliance
    • Caring for Seniors: Value of Home Care
    • Home Care by the Numbers
    • Issues & Positions
    • Legislative Action Network
    • State Legislation Tracker
    • Federal Legislation Tracker
  • About HCAOA
    • Mission & Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Caregiver of the Year Award
    • News Releases
    • Advertising & Marketing
    • The Voice
    • Contact Us
  • Find a Job

Important Resource for Providers: 988 – The New National Mental Health and Substance Abuse Hotline

11/2/2022

0 Comments

 
Content submitted by Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq.

Providers of all types of services to patients in their homes may encounter patients/clients and others who need assistance with mental health and/or substance abuse problems. There is now an alternative to dialing 911 or to calling the police. On July 16, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated the dialing code 988 for national mental health and substance abuse services. This is an important resource for all health providers, especially providers who render services to patients in their homes.
​Individuals can call, text or chat with trained behavioral counselors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All 988 calls have been directed to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network as of July 16, 2022. The existing Lifeline will be strengthened and its capabilities will be expanded.
 
Funding to maintain and expand the network will come from a variety of sources; including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Mental health Block Grants, the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic program, Medicaid, and state cell phone fees. Other funding partners include the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Indian Health Service, and the Department of Transportation. In other words, there is a widespread, concerted effort to help ensure that the network is expanded and remains available.
 
The development and expansion of the hotline requires involvement of all the states. States that have established 988 mental health lines with fees have usually implemented wireless phone fees to help fund the hotline. Other states that do not require fees are funding programs from general funds or from grants, some of which come from Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant), the current operator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
 
The states are currently in four stages of development and implementation:
  • Establishment of 988 infrastructure with a fee
  • Establishment of 988 infrastructure without a fee
  • Enactment of legislation that requires a study and/or a commission
  • Passage of legislation supporting 988 infrastructure with details to be determined at a later date
The establishment and development of the national 988 network is a complex task. A key issue is how to involve all relevant organizations or participants in a comprehensive process. Another possible barrier to implementation may be lack of staffing, especially in view of the hours of required operation. Insufficient financing may also prove problematic.
 
The goal of the mental health hotline system is to ensure that every individual may be connected to a trained professional who knows how to respond to people in crisis. This is a laudable goal indeed! Providers of services in patients’/clients’ homes may make liberal use of this resource as they encounter individuals who need assistance with mental health and substance abuse issues.
 
©2022 Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq. All rights reserved.
No portion of this material may be reproduced in any form without the advance written permission of the author.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020

    Categories

    All
    Accreditation
    Arizona
    Award
    California
    Caregiver
    Chapters
    Conference
    Connecticut
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Data
    Delaware
    Education
    Florida
    Georgia
    Illinois
    Kansas
    Kentucky
    Legal
    Legislative
    Massachusetts
    Medi
    Medicaid
    Medicare
    Member Benefits
    Member News
    Michigan
    Minnesota
    New Jersey
    New York
    Ohio
    Pennsylvania
    Research
    Rhode Island
    South Carolina
    South Dakota
    Sponsorships
    Veterans Administration
    Virginia
    Washington
    West Virginia
    Wisconsin
    Workforce

    RSS Feed

    Upcoming Events

Phone: 202-519-2960​ | 444 N. Capitol Street NW, Suite 428 |  Washington, DC 20001
info@hcaoa.org
 |
sitemap
​

© 2020 Home Care Association of America.  All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy
Picture
  • Membership Resources
    • Member Login
    • Code of Conduct
    • Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Product & Services Guide
    • Join HCAOA
    • Benefits: Agency Membership
    • Benefits: Associate Membership
  • State Chapters
    • Alabama
    • Arizona
    • California
    • Connecticut
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Illinois
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • South Carolina
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
  • Education/Events
    • Calendar
    • National Home Care Conference >
      • 2023 Call for Speakers
  • Advocacy/Policy
    • Bring the Vote Home
    • Advocacy Fund
    • State of Home Care: Industry at Crossroads
    • Home Care Workforce Action Alliance
    • Caring for Seniors: Value of Home Care
    • Home Care by the Numbers
    • Issues & Positions
    • Legislative Action Network
    • State Legislation Tracker
    • Federal Legislation Tracker
  • About HCAOA
    • Mission & Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Caregiver of the Year Award
    • News Releases
    • Advertising & Marketing
    • The Voice
    • Contact Us
  • Find a Job