Federal legislation requires all states to transition from a 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number to 988 by July 16, 2022. In Ohio, a group of interested stakeholders has met over the past year as the 988 Planning Committee to develop a roadmap for how 988 will help build awareness of an easy-to-remember, visible entry point into the crisis care system for people affected by suicide, mental health and addiction issues. Click HERE to view the final implementation plan the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) submitted to the federal government on January 21. For more information about Ohio’s 988 planning work, visit mha.ohio.gov/about-us/priorities/ohios-988-implementation.

The 988 Stakeholder group transitioned into the Connect Committee under the OhioMHAS Crisis Task Force with an initial meeting this month. This committee will now form several subcommittees to develop recommendations for MHAS in the following areas.

• Linkages: How will Ohio’s crisis call lines(988, other crisis lines, and 911)be coordinated to support Ohioans in need?
• Quality of Care: How will Ohio ensure quality and continuity of care for callers who can benefit?
• Awareness-building/Marketing: What are key messages for behavioral health crisis outreach and how are these shared?

If you are interested in joining this committee or providing recommendations in these areas, please contact Stacey Frohnapfel-Hasson [email protected]. Additionally, SAMHSA rolled out a new 988 website in March. The 988 website is designed to serve as a one-stop-shop for 988 resources from SAMHSA.

Please make special note of the 988 partner toolkit, which is intended for SAMHSA’s 988 implementation partners (crisis call centers, state mental health programs, substance use treatment providers, behavioral health systems, and others) to provide key messages, FAQs, and more information about what 988 is and how it will work. These materials are designed to cover the basics of 988 and provide a strong foundation from which partners can build for their audience-specific needs.

Furthermore, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 provides $5 million to establish an office dedicated to the implementation of the 988 Lifeline and coordination of crisis care across U.S. Department of Health and Human Services operating divisions, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The office will support technical assistance and coordination of the nation's crisis care network, the implementation of the 988 Lifeline, and the development of a crisis care system with the objective of expanding crisis care services and follow-up care, including through services provided by Community Mental Health Centers, CCBHCs, and other community providers.