INDIANAPOLIS — As the nation’s first ever ‘988 Day’ approaches this Sunday, the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) called on all Indiana communities to spread awareness of the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
According to the FSSA, the lifeline has shown signs of success in Indiana—with the number of Hoosiers calling 988 to receive services each month more than doubling since its launch.
”We have a long way to go, but the early returns on that investment are overwhelmingly positive,” Jay Chaudhary, the FSSA’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction Director, said.
According to Kara Biro, the State Director of Behavioral Health Crisis Care, the state now averages around 7,000 calls each month from Hoosiers in crisis since the 988 crisis response system launched in Indiana two years ago.
”Prior to July 2022, we were averaging around 2,500 to 3,000 calls a month,” Biro said.
In addition to four call centers and one text center dedicated to the hotline, Lindsay Potts, the FSSA’s Director of System Transformation, said roughly two-thirds of all Hoosiers have access to mobile crisis services.