FY22 Cooperative Agreements for States and Territories to Build Local 988 Capacity - In July of 2022, 988 will become the national three-digit code for all mental health and suicide-related crises. A 988 line that is effectively resourced and promoted has the ability to serve as the first line of defense for individuals experiencing a crisis; opening the door for access to a robust crisis care continuum available for anyone, anywhere, anytime. Following the guidance outlined in SAMHSA's National Best Practice for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Toolkit, Missouri is working towards a true "no-wrong-door" integrated crisis response system to prevent tragedies, save lives, and resources of other valuable public health and safety systems. As a grant recipient, the Missouri Department of Mental Health will ensure there is adequate capacity to provide high-quality care to every Missourian experiencing a mental health, substance use, or suicide-related crisis. Upon completion of grant activities, grantee will achieve the following goals:
1. Support the expansion of 988 center workforce capacity by determining specific quality and
performance metrics for each 988 center to meet Lifeline standards, collaborating with centers to
support initiatives and provide oversight and management of grant expenditures and activities, and
distributing a newly created crisis specialist onboarding training curriculum;
2. Improve access to suicide prevention, behavioral healthcare, and crisis response services by
enhancing follow-up services through the development of statewide protocols and data collection on
follow-up contacts and developing and distributing a comprehensive resource and referral listing;
3. Improve state response rate to ensure all calls originating in-state first route to a regional
988 center by creating statewide and center-specific emergency capacity plans to respond to sudden
and large spikes in call volume, initiating a routing plan that ensures 24/7 statewide primary and
backup coverage for every county in Missouri, and striving for a call answer rate of 90% or higher
and an average speed to answer rate of 20 seconds 95%
of the time consistently.
According to national volume projections, Missouri can expect to receive approximately 172,022
calls in year one of 988 implementation. This equates to approximately 143,350 calls in year one of
the project period and a total of approximately 315,370 calls over the lifetime of the project
period. Grantee will utilize 89% of awarded grant funds to support 988 centers with hiring crisis
specialists equipped to work with individuals experiencing a crisis.
The 988 Planning Grant has allowed Missouri to conduct
intensive and strategic planning efforts to prepare 988 centers and the behavioral health system at
large for 988 rollout. Through accomplishment of the identified goals and objectives, Grantee will
expand upon preparations made during the Planning Grant to strengthen 988 center
operations and enhance and integrate crisis response services available for Missourians in crisis.
