Connecticut 988 Grant - The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) endorses one statewide, centralized 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provider, the United Way of CT/211 (UWCT), and seeks to increase its capacity to serve in-state users experiencing emotional or mental health distress, and/or overdose to save lives. DMHAS and the CT Department of Children and Families (DCF) collaboratively oversee the statewide crisis service system across the lifespan. The UWCT is the state's 211 Information & Referral provider, is accredited by the Alliance for Information and Referral Services and the American Association of Suicidology, has years of experience as the centralized 988 Lifeline network provider, and serves as the mobile crisis service system contact center for the lifespan. The 988 call, text and chat services function 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (24/7/365), and provide quality services to various types of individuals from those searching for basic information and referral through those in imminent risk crisis. For those in crisis, they provide support, screening, referrals, warm-transfers to statewide adult and youth mobile crisis services, warm-transfers to 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for active rescue as needed, and follow-up contacts upon consent. They also attain the disposition of those contacting 988 from mobile crisis services and PSAPs following warm transfers. Calendar year 2025, the UWCT answered 54,588 988 calls, with an in-state answer rate average of 95%, and an average speed to answer of 6 seconds, well within the target performance indicator of 90%. However, call demand continues to increase, and the UWCT will need to increase workforce capacity to maintain quality services and the performance indicator. November 2025, UWCT expanded in-state 988 text and chat services to 24/7/365. Calendar year 2025, UWCT responded to a total of 5,782 chats and texts with an average answer rate of 53% mainly due to adjusting to increased demand. Additional funds will help build capacity through enhancements to the management and supervisory structure; onboarding; recruitment, staff hiring; and development of new procedures to ensure quality services as are provided by the 988 services, and to attain and maintain the 90% performance indicator. Funds will also support enhanced follow-up supports, resource maintenance, and staff training and continuing education to ensure persons at risk of suicide attempts and death, and their caregivers are served with well-informed, compassionate staff, and are referred to current, available, local resources increasing their likelihood of connecting to care. DMHAS is strongly committed to advancing SAMHSA’s strategic priorities to support CT’s citizens experiencing threats to their behavioral health or related problems to contribute to the greater effort of Making America Healthy Again. DMHAS and its committed partners: DCF, UWCT, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and the University of Connecticut as the Evaluation Team will utilize their collective, extensive expertise to advance Connecticut crisis prevention and intervention care and service policies, procedures and protocols to provide quality, data-driven 988 support, risk screening and identification, mobile crisis referral, resource and treatment referral to evidence-based treatment services for serious emotional and mental illness, substance use and co occurring disorders via appropriate levels of care, and follow-up support to help individuals prevent substance misuse, abuse and addiction and/or help them achieve long-term recovery and sobriety.
