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In Case You Haven't Heard…
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
mental health weekly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1556-7583
pISSN - 1058-1103
DOI - 10.1002/mhw.32845
Subject(s) - mental health , interim , agency (philosophy) , administration (probate law) , general partnership , public relations , political science , medicine , sociology , psychiatry , law , social science
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on June 16 announced Vibrant Emotional Health will be the administrators of the new 988 dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. A pair of the agency's grants, totaling $48 million and including $32 million in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 funding, will fund the effort to better harness technology to help Americans in mental health crisis and save more lives, according to a news release. Vibrant, in partnership with SAMHSA, has administered the lifeline since its creation in 2005. “The need for quick, easy and reliable access to emotional support and crisis counselling has never been greater,” said Tom Coderre, acting assistant secretary for mental health and substance use and the interim head of SAMHSA. “The COVID‐19 pandemic laid bare the stressors faced by Americans; too often, such stressors result in suicidal and mental health crises. These grants will work to expand the nation's call centers' capacity and technological readiness as the Lifeline's shift to 988 becomes operational next summer.” The new 988 code will be available July 2022.