IOWA, USA — Three simple numbers are making a big impact here in Iowa.
It’s been just over one year since the 10-digit suicide and crisis lifeline was rebranded to 9-8-8.
The two locations that handle the calls and messages — CommUnity Crisis Services and Foundation 2 — have trained counselors and call specialists on the other line, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.
“If someone calls the line, they will get ahold of a counselor, and they will get ahold of a counselor quickly,” said Drew Martel, the Chief Clinical and Training Officer at Foundation 2.
CommUnity Crisis Services oversees incoming chats and texts, while Foundation 2 handles the calls. One year since the rebrand, both groups speak to the crisis hotline’s success in Iowa.
Ryan Dickson, who serves as CommUnity’s Crisis helpline director, said that the number of chats from those in state doubled between April 1 and May 3, and then increased by another 50% from June to July.
“That’s a 142 percent increase,” Dickson added, which totals more than 31,000 Iowans dialing 988 since last July.
The call centers have also been successful in promptly answering nearly all incoming calls and messages. According to Martel, the average answer rate is between 80 to 84% in Iowa with an average answer time of about 12 seconds.
“We’re very proud of that. That’s not easy to accomplish,” Martel added.
With the rapid growth, however, comes challenges. To meet demands, both crisis centers have had to hire more specialist, yet funding for the hotline in Iowa hasn’t increased.
Some states have attempted to charge tax on landlines, but there isn’t a current solution to the funding issue.
At CommUnity, the hourly wage for call specialists is above the Johnson County minimum wage. Dickson believes that his team has still been able to be a competitive and fair workplace.
“One of our primary focuses is making sure that folks who are doing difficult work are compensated fairly,” Dickson said.
More than anything, both Dickson and Martel want people to know that you do not need to be a certified mental health specialist to do the job. All employees and volunteers receive 30 to 60 hours of training before picking up the phone.
“What we are offering people is human connection,” Dickson said. “Anyone can do this work, and we’ll help you get the training to do what you need to.”