From Contra Costa Crisis Center:
(Walnut Creek, Calif.) – September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time when mental health advocates, survivors, allies, and communities unite to promote awareness and share the message that help is always available.
As part of this effort, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) have designated September 8, 2024, as the first annual 988 Day. This year’s theme, “No Judgment. Just Help,” underscores the importance of accessible mental health support and raising awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Since its launch in July 2022, the 988 Lifeline has received over 10 million calls nationwide, including 1.7 million texts and chats from individuals seeking help during mental health and substance use-related crises. In California alone, 12 nationally accredited crisis centers who make up 988 California, received more than 350,000 calls and responded to over 40,000 texts and chats last year.
Locally, the Contra Costa Crisis Center plays a vital role in crisis response. They have seen a dramatic increase in 988 Lifeline crisis calls, with nearly 22,000 calls received this past year—an astonishing 79% rise since the service launched in 2022. This surge is particularly notable as it only accounts for 988 Lifeline calls. The Crisis Center managed over 70,000 calls last fiscal year on 19 crisis lines, including 211, the county’s information and referral community helpline.
“The rise in 988 calls highlights the urgent need for accessible mental health resources,” said Elaine Cortez Schroth, Executive Director of the Contra Costa Crisis Center. “As one of California’s 988 centers, we are committed to providing crisis counseling and information services 24/7, ensuring that those in need always have somewhere to turn.”
In response to the increased demand, the Contra Costa Crisis Center will launch a new text and chat platform in October, further expanding its ability to provide immediate support to those seeking help.
With geo-routing for 988 calls coming soon, call volume is expected to continue growing, making it essential for communities to rally around mental health awareness and support. In July alone, the Contra Costa Crisis Center received 6,700 calls, putting the Center on track to exceed 80,000 calls in the coming year.
As the Crisis Center observes National Suicide Prevention Month and 988 Day, they encourage everyone to raise awareness about the 988 Lifeline and other critical mental health resources. The goal is to ensure that no one ever faces their struggles alone.
For more information about the Contra Costa Crisis Center and how to support mental health initiatives, visit https://www.crisis-center.org
I’m sure I’m going to make some people mad with this question, but I wonder how many of the people in the greatly increased mental crises group had just happened to have partaken of marijuana the week before their ‘event’?.. it happens a lot, like the one involving the pilot from Alaska Airlines.
@GregT – really…I have not heard of or read any research or documentation that marijuana use days or a week prior ever has lead to a mental health crisis. The only drug use the pilot in the incident you mention spoke of to my knowledge was the use of psychedelic mushrooms a day or two prior to the incident. He did say he is an alcoholic but had not been drinking.
I’m am not an expert but spent 28 yrs in LE constantly dealing with substance abusers and those with mental health issues. Yes I have seen people develop mental health issues from years of drug use/abuse(ie meth use). In my personal experience mental health is often there under the surface from early on. I have seen incidents of alcohol or MJ use or harder stuff bring it to the surface, but it was already there. The vast majority I had contact with were using substances to try and deal with or escape their mental health issues.
Pretty much discount marijuana as being a drug that causes folks undergoing mental crises to be suicidal. The drug will slow their thought processes but give them the impression that they’re being lucid and quick thinking without actually giving them lucidity into their thought-making. MJ will lull the taker into submissivity and do-nothingness.
The problem with calling the Suicide Hotline means the caller — in California at least — will be taken involuntarily by police and paramedics and 5150ed — taken to the county psychiatric ward for observation and evaluation for up to 72 hours. Individuals who are deemed to be capable of self-harm are held indefinitely. Most of them will be tranquilized and spend their days and nights snoozing on cheap plastic mattresses, wrapped in flimsy blankets, and wearing papery scrubs. What is the point of sedation for an unhealthy minded person bent on self-harm? Where exactly is the mental health treatment? Right, none exists. Locking them up with other mentally disturbed and unhappy people means the county burns through federal funding without offering cures. So the mentally ill are held and then released, and certain rights are forever denied them (chiefly, to possess, purchase, etc., firearms).
And how does the county find people who call using their cellphones, even with their locations turned off? This part I am not too sure of. But I imagine that the Suicide Hotline calls the local law enforcement, which then triangulates the caller’s location using nearby cell towers. And then goes out to find that person so that paramedics can then strap him or her into a gurney and whisk them off to the county psych ward for no treatment other than a shot of this and a pill of that. And jave a good day’s sleep.
Re: pilot episode. The pilot said it was shrooms, not marijuana. I’m guessing you already knew that and posted this anyway.
Not mad however there is no evidence that the pilot in question was smoking grass. I’m not expecting you to listen to an anonymous source like me saying that marijuana is not connected to suicide, but I encourage you to do your own research as you seem to be somewhat ignorant as to the subject based on your example.
This is where our dollars should go. The recent story on the young man running barefoot from the cops in only his underwear made me feel like money is better spent on prevention. We are chasing behind a problem that’s gotten too far ahead of us.
Partaken is a big word. Kind of like truthiness. I like simpler words, words like fraud and lie.
I wondered if there was data on this – people seem to be losing their grip lately. Glad something is being done to counter the trend.
Wouldn’t have anything todo with all the people running around without clothes lately would it??
It has been getting steadily worse since the pandemic.