Saturday, September 30, 2023
9/30/2023
The U.S. territory of Guam requests funding for Project Guam 988 Lifeline Center to build local 988 capacity. The funding will be utilized to increase current Lifeline center capacity through increasing Lifeline workforce capacity and the implementation of chat/text crisis services. Guam presently has only one Lifeline Call Center, operated by the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC), the island's only state mental health agency. Thus, the GBHWC Lifeline Center will serve the entire diverse population of 153,836 people (U.S. Census, 2020) including 10,026 veterans (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2017). In the past, the GBHWC's Hotline was staffed with Inpatient nurses and volunteers during the holiday season. However, during the COVID pandemic the need grew, and the pandemic forced the issue of having a stable, consistent 24/7 crisis hotline. In response, GBHWC established a 24/7 crisis hotline with dedicated staff that were trained in crisis intervention. The COVID pandemic has had a major impact on call volumes. Prior to the pandemic, the GBHWC Crisis Hotline, received an average of 25 calls/month. In 2020, with the advent and persistence of the COVID pandemic, call volumes rose to an average of 748 calls/month, of which approximately 15.8% were "crisis" calls, thus raising the average monthly call volume for crisis-related issues from 25 calls/month to 118 calls/month (GBHWC Crisis Hotline Data). Using the current average of 118 calls/month, we project the number of chats/texts at the initiation of Guam's 988 Lifeline to be at approximately 50%, with a progressive increase once the population becomes familiar with this mode of interaction. Data shows the increased need for 988 services, thus the major goals and objectives of this grant will be to 1) increase the capacity of the Lifeline Center to handle current and projected 988 volumes for calls, texts/chats, and follow-up services and 2) increase the capacity of the Lifeline Center to successfully launch 988 by executing the Guam 988 Implementation Plan. Project Guam 988 Lifeline Center will serve 6,000 over the life of the 2-year grant.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
