Question: How can industry professionals recruit enough quality clinical staff to handle the expected increase in calls in wake of the change to the three digit number?
Mr. Levi Van Dyke: We were fortunate to add 76 additional staff at our center prior to the 988 transition and more than 120 staff across the three 988 crisis contact centers in Washington State. Recruitment was a challenge for each center. Our center found a lot of success hiring remote workers and we did recruit nationally. The 988 legislation in Washington (HB 1477) provided the necessary funding to be able to scale operations and offer competitive wages, which is a necessity for building workforce capacity within a crisis contact center.
Q: What else do you think could be done by the industry, providers and the country to make mental healthcare and resources available to those seeking treatment at this time?
LVD: The 988 transition is the first step in building a more robust crisis care continuum across the country. Along with easier access through a three digit number comes the need for added mobile crisis teams and inpatient beds. Just as crisis contact centers have seen new funding, these other components of the continuum should see increased funding and support as well.
