TYLER, TX (EAST TEXAS NEWS) – The suicide rate in Texas has climbed by nearly 40 percent since 2000, and crisis call centers across the state simply don’t have enough staff to answer every call.
“We don’t have the people with the necessary training, we don’t have the number of crisis centers we need in the state,” says Kay Pleasant, a member of the board of directors for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
“It’s easy to overlook this, or to think it’s someone else’s problem, until you face it. If you’re a parent or have relatives you can ask, ask them if they know someone who has hurt themselves or attempted suicide. I believe the answers you’ll hear will save you,” said Senator José Menéndez.
Senator José Menéndez has pushed Senate Bill 188 to help address the demand placed on call centers.
The bill would establish a sustainable funding plan for the crisis centers and their resources.
The funding plan would be financed in part by a 50-cent charge on telephone bills that would go into a state trust fund.
This fund would also attract other external resources, such as donations and grants, to support the centers.
“We have to fund it. I think Senate Bill 188 has a strong plan for that. We can fund it if the state of Texas makes mental health a priority,” Pleasant said.
“None of us can define the value of another human life, so it’s essential that a state as wealthy as Texas be able to at least invest the minimum in this lifeline,” Menéndez stated.
In Texas there are five crisis call centers.
These centers report that an average of 16 percent of calls are abandoned within the state.
That translates to just under 20,000 calls redirected out of Texas from January through August.
Pleasant notes that it is during these transfers where the problem could worsen.
“They leave people feeling alone, as if no one cares, and already in a state of distress. That’s why it’s so important that those calls are answered just as quickly as our 9-1-1 lines,” Pleasant said.
Federal funding for 9-8-8 will run out next year, so the state will need to find a way to fund the hotline beyond then.
Pleasant says that SB 188 would help provide the long-term solution the centers need.
“Texas has done some things right. But there’s a lot of ground left to cover. As Senate Bill 188 moves forward, I’m excited to see a plan to fund the 9-8-8 line even further,” Pleasant stated.
Menéndez’s long-range goal is to safeguard lives and ensure safety for all across Texas.
“The objective is to save a life. If we are serious about protecting life in Texas, we have to protect every life,” Menéndez said.
Pleasant notes that even with the current funding status for 9-8-8, groups like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention have resources to help.
She also urges anyone who knows someone facing mental health challenges to reach out to that person.
