NORFOLK, Va. — Exactly one year ago this weekend, the former National Suicide Prevention Lifeline switched to the three-digit "988" call system (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) to streamline federal and state-level suicide prevention efforts.
Data from the 988 network and Virginia health officials reveal an increase in received crisis calls since the switch last July.
Curt Gleeson, the Assistant Commissioner of Emergency Services for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, notes a roughly 47% increase in the 12-month periods since before and after the July 16 transition date.
"A dramatic increase," Gleeson told 13News Now. "Compared from 52,000 calls [before] to 77,000 calls [after].”
This is based on call data across the state’s five regional crisis call centers, including Region 5 which makes up the larger Tidewater region.
Gleeson also notes an increase in the percentage of crisis calls being answered since the switch.
"Call centers answered about 52 percent of the calls [before], now we’re up to about 90 percent of calls," Gleeson said, explaining how calls that can't intake at the closest call center by area code still transfer to one of the five regions in Virginia.
Impact -- and increase-- in Region 5
According to officials with the DBHDS, data tracking over the first five months of 2023 suggest the crisis calls and responses will outpace what the state saw in 2022.
In the first five months of 2023, there were 294 calls transferred from 911 to 988 call centers, compared to 370 for the entirety of 2022.
The trends follow that for mobile crisis responses as well. For the first five months of 2023, Region 5 saw 609 cases, which compares to 704 for the entirety of 2022.
From Lauren Cunningham, spokesperson for the DBHDS:
Much of this increase has been engagement of the call center and crisis services by first responders – so there has been a decrease in law enforcement engagement.
Challenges ahead
Gleeson notes there are still challenges with the transition, as the 988 system is based on telephone area code and not geolocation from the caller. Virginians who may be seeking help may not actually receive a response from someone locally in Virginia if they're calling from an out-of-state number.
"A national problem that needs a national solution," Gleeson said.
"Would they [other crisis centers] know the direct contact to Virginia resources and call centers? Maybe--- maybe not. But there is a network nationally to make sure you’re served well until we settle this problem.”
Still, according to the 988 Network, only two percent of Lifeline calls result in visits by Emergency Medical Services, according to data as recent as 2020 for Virginia.