988 Alabama Building Capacity and Sustainability (988 ABCS) seeks to further improve the existing statewide comprehensive crisis care delivery system and expand optimal reach and care to individuals. - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Cooperative Agreement for States and Territories to Improve Local 988 Capacity funding opportunity will assist Alabama with enhancing capacity building and readiness efforts to ensure state originated 988 contacts are properly routed and answered to address the needs of persons anywhere in the state, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in need of crisis support and/or seeking supportive services and resources for a loved one. 988 Alabama Building Capacity and Sustainability (988 ABCS) seeks to further improve the existing statewide comprehensive crisis care delivery system to address mental health crises at optimal levels to ensure all Alabamians have access to timely response, compassionate care, appropriate referrals, and follow-up. Through its current four 988 Crisis Contact Centers, regionally positioned statewide, Alabama seeks to expand its 988 Lifeline capacity building efforts through its recruitment, retention, hiring, and training of its 988 workforce. In addition to the advancement of service delivery, Alabama will ensure the workforce is readily prepared and positioned to respond to and meet the needs of high-risk individuals, including suicide and overdose response. Alabama has a population of 4.8 million residents and is located in the southeastern United States, bordered by the states of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. A state considered primarily rural according to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) with 58 of the 67 counties carrying the rural designation, the necessity of a timely response for citizens seeking lifeline help is critical. In addition, ADPH has reported, along with death records from the Alabama Coroner's Association, in 2024 Alabama had an estimated total of 12,545 overdose cases requiring emergency room care. Of the 12,545 overdose cases reported, approximately 1,151 or 9% of the cases resulted in a confirmed fatal overdose. The state health agency’s overdose statistics, along with the 2024 state daily suicide rate of 2.3 persons, demonstrates there is a critical need to build optimal capacity to ensure timely response and reach to individuals in need. The goals of the 988 ABCS are to: (1) Improve workforce recruitment, hiring, retention, and training efforts to ensure necessary capacity for crisis response to increase timely and accessible support and care for persons seeking help in Alabama; (2) Support existing 988 Crisis Contact Centers to ensure adequate resources, coordinated efforts, necessary referrals, and linkages to care by increasing the 988 Crisis Contact Centers collaborative capacity to deliver coordinated care; and (3) Expand Alabama partnerships between the crisis system of care and public safety networks to readily coordinate and meet 988 Lifeline demand as it relates to crisis contact to increase and strengthen statewide crisis intervention efforts. The objectives of 988 ABCS are: (1) By September 2027, Alabama 988 Crisis Contact Centers will maintain a state call answer rate, chat, and text response to meet or exceed 90% of total calls received; (2) By September 2027, standardized 988 Crisis Contact Center protocols and resources, for all four centers, in place to address continued support across the continuum within the crisis system of care delivery system; and (3) By September 2028, establish a formal protocol process with public safety networks to ensure coordinated response and appropriate care designation in all 67 counties.
