Agenda Item Name:
Title
Request for 7 additional Grant Funded Full Time Equivalents (FTE) for Community Support Services, Crisis Center to support the new 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline
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Presenter:
Claudia Tuck, 352-231-0058
Description:
The Alachua County Crisis Center is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Network) and will be answering telephone calls to the new 988 number established by the Federal Communications Commission for area code 352. Additional State funding totaling $450,081.00 has been awarded to Alachua County to support 988 implementation in FY 22.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve the addition of 7 FTE to the Crisis Center budget including, 1 FTE Volunteer Program Supervisor and 6 FTE Call Center Specialists.
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Prior Board Motions:
On September 28, 2021 through the budget adoption process, the Board added 5 FTE to the Crisis Center budget in part to support the needed organizational structure for 988, increase Mobile Response Team (MRT) services, and volunteer support.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
023.29.2940.569.12.00. - $301,464
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Strategic Guide:
Social and Economic Opportunity
Background:
Last September 2020, Congress passed and the President subsequently signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, creating a new three-digit dialing code (988) for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Today, states and communities including Alachua County are transitioning crisis response systems to better serve any individual in crisis. Although partially active, the nation-wide go live date for 988 is July 16, 2022.
As a member of the Network, the Crisis Center answers calls from the 352 area code. Call volume estimates developed by the Florida Office of Suicide Prevention suggests the Alachua County Crisis Center will experience a 300% increase in Network call volume once 988 is fully operational. The Center currently answers over 8,000 Network calls annually. Based on the State provided estimates, 988 call volume is estimated to reach 25-30,000 calls in FY 22-23. In FY 20-21, the Crisis Center answered 49,032 calls from all sources including the Network, local hotline, and 311. Once 988 is fully implemented total annual volume could reach 80,000+ calls.
Most hotline calls, including those transferred from the Network are answered by 100+ highly trained volunteers. The estimated increase in call volume from 988 cannot be absorbed by our current level of staff and volunteers. As our current model of volunteers supported by paid staff has been very successful for over 50 years, we plan to expand the volunteer base and supplement it with additional staff to answer calls. Lutheran Services of Florida has awarded Alachua County $450,081.00 in new funding to support 988 specifically. .