Improving the care for individuals and families experiencing a behavioral health crisis is a priority for the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH). For at least a decade, ADAMH has been working to improve the entire behavioral health crisis care continuum, which prioritizes meeting people where they are, with the most appropriate response for their individual needs, and ensures accessible care regardless of ability to pay.
ADAMH’s 2023 Annual Meeting on Oct. 17 convened network providers, community partners and elected officials to highlight the work being done to enhance crisis response, as well as to celebrate the outstanding contributions of behavioral health professionals in our network.
Dr. John Draper, a national expert on behavioral health crisis services, gave a keynote address focused on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Dr. Draper, the former Executive Director for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, led the development and operations of the lifeline through the launch of 988 in July 2022.
He now works for Behavioral Health Link, Inc. Serving as their President of Research and Development, Dr. Draper continues to apply research, data and technologies to improve the quality of crisis care systems.
His presentation at the ADAMH Annual Meeting gave insight into the opportunities and challenges ahead for 988, including capacity issues, communications and awareness, geolocation and care continuum buildout.
Dr. Draper referenced a Pew survey that was conducted in May 2023 and showed only 13% of U.S. adults surveyed had heard of 988 and knew its purpose. Once informed, seven of 10 adults stated they were somewhat to highly likely to use it.
“There’s quite a number of people out there who will contact this service once they learn about what it is,” said Dr. Draper. “And there’s even more of a need not to just make people aware of the service but educate them about what it is because there’s still a number of people who won’t contact the service.”
Dr. Draper went on to list the misconceptions people have about 988 that prevent them from using the service, including worrying that cops will show up, that they will be hospitalized against their will and that their information will be shared without their permission.
Dr. Draper also spoke about opportunities ahead for 988, as well as how Franklin County, Ohio and the nation have adapted to the new crisis line thus far. “In general, Ohio and Franklin County are on the ball,” Dr. Draper commented when sharing data related to crisis services, including a statistic that showed 100% of Ohio counties are coved by call center hubs.
You can view the entirety of his presentation here:
Following the keynote address, local leaders in mobile crisis response joined Dr. Draper on stage to discuss mobile crisis response models. All of these individuals work on community-based mobile response teams:
- Shawn Daniels, Mobile Crisis Manager, Netcare Access
- Valerie Coleman, Peer Support Specialist, Netcare Access
- Sgt. Matt Harris, Columbus Division of Police
- Jessica Michael, Clinical Lead Supervisor, MRSS, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
It is a best practice that mobile crisis teams include both clinicians and peers. Valerie, who has lived experience, discussed why she can effectively help others. “I have walked in their steps, and I understand the fear, and they’re safe to talk to me. I’m not going to judge them,” she said.
You can view a replay of the panel discussion here:
The meeting concluded with the presentation of annual scholarships and awards. The awards recognized the outstanding efforts of individuals in our network. Learn about this year’s recipients by watching the video below:
Missed the meeting or want to watch it all back? View the full meeting replay here: