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A proposal to put $40 million into a trust fund for Wyoming’s two 988 suicide hotline centers passed the House on Thursday, narrowly meeting the two-thirds threshold for passage.
If there had been one fewer vote Thursday, a bill that would have put $40 million into a trust fund for two 988 suicide hotline centers in Wyoming would have died.
House Bill 186 was introduced 42-19, but would have died had it not received one “yes” vote. During budget deliberations in Congress, a two-thirds majority is required for non-budget bills to be referred to committees for consideration.
Funding for call centers was also a topic of debate in Congress last year. Lawmakers say the bill would create a trust fund to benefit 988 centers. money not approved to be placed in a trust.
Andy Somerville, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers, is one of the call centers’ most vocal advocates.
Somerville told Cowboy State Daily Thursday’s passage of HB186 is critical because the bill only needs a simple majority to continue moving forward. Earlier this week, several other mental health bills failed to clear the two-thirds hurdle.
“This is very important and its importance cannot be underestimated,” Somerville said. “We’re off to a good start.”
uncertain future
Wyoming’s two 24/7 suicide call centers in Casper and Greybull are funded through fiscal year 2025, but will not be funded after that.
Other than about $400,000 that the federal government provided to the call center in 2022, Wyoming is paying for it, and there is no promise of future federal funding. Sen. John Barrasso introduced a bill to improve 988 services across the country.
The purpose of the trust fund is to establish a permanent source of funding for the call center that is not dependent on the rise and fall of Wyoming’s mineral-dependent economy.
“Establishing a trust fund provides a long-term, more sustainable source of future income,” Mr Somerville said.
are they working?
Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control for 2022 shows Wyoming has improved from the state with the highest suicide rate in the nation to Alaska and Montana with the third-highest rate. Wyoming’s suicide rate is now 25.9 per 100,000 people, a significant improvement from the previous rate of 32.3.
“The goal is to maintain this downward trend, and we believe that having the 988 fully operational with everything it needs to support it will be a critical factor in maintaining this downward trend. ,” Somerville said.
Rep. John Conrad (R-Mountain View) is HB 186’s lead sponsor.
“We’re not there yet. We need to be No. 50,” Conrad said on the House floor.
Somerville studied the efforts of some states with some of the lowest suicide rates in the country and found a correlation between offering large-scale suicide hotline programs and other early intervention efforts. He said he did.
She said the average call response time at the two Wyoming centers is 7 seconds and there are typically two to three people working at any given time.
Conrad sees 988 not only as a hotline, but also as a lifeline. He said if someone is against abortion or a believer in God, they should also support postnatal life and call centers.
The challenge in advocating for this program is proving the correlation between call centers and lower suicide rates.
“That’s not data we can track,” Somerville said.
However, the decline in suicide rates has coincided with an increase in services provided through Wyoming’s call centers. The call center has been operating with more limited hours since its creation in 2020, but expanded to 24/7, 365 days a year in 2022.
In 2023, call centers received a 62% increase in calls.
Is it the best solution?
Some conservatives, like Rep. John Bair (R-Gillette), argue that the government should play a more limited role in suicide prevention.
Baer said putting $40 million into the trust fund could create financial strain in the future if the state is forced to choose between mental health services and call centers. said he believed funding should be decided on a biennial basis with less commitment.
“If this is beyond our budget, if this isn’t the best solution, we guarantee you we won’t touch it,” he said.
Rep. Scott Heiner (R-Green River) agreed, saying call centers are “barely making it.”
“It’s not over yet. Let’s keep talking about this,” he said.
Since August 2022, the two call centers have responded to more than 15,268 calls. Only 2% of calls led to escalation to emergency services.
“That means in 98% of calls, the caller gets the service they need, gets connected, and is able to diffuse the situation,” Somerville said.
The surprise votes in support of the bill on Thursday were Republican Reps. Dalton Banks (R-Cowley) and Daniel Shinn (R-Cheyenne). Both voted against the trust fund last year.
Singh said his position changed somewhat after meeting with the Laramie County coroner on the suicide issue.
“We decided that it would be appropriate to continue the dialogue at the committee of the whole,” he said.
veteran support
Somerville said 3,592 of the calls made since August 2022 came from veterans, a relatively high rate by national standards.
Veteran suicide is an issue that Gov. Mark Gordon has particularly championed.
Somerville said Wyoning call center staff can also connect callers to more long-term local mental health resources.
text and chat
Gordon has made a separate request for $774,270 in additional funding for the call center’s $1.7 million program through his 2025/2026 biennium budget proposal. The additional funding will be used to add text and chat support services to 988 centers across the state.
Texting someone about suicidal thoughts may seem impersonal or disconnected to some, but texting is one of the most common forms of communication for many young people. That’s one. Similarly, telehealth services are growing nationwide.
“When dealing with any kind of mental health disorder or substance abuse disorder, it’s really important to meet the person in a way that makes them feel comfortable,” Somerville says.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you can call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
leo wolfson It can be accessed at leo@CowboyStateDaily.com.
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