New York State Office of Mental Health receives $17.8M 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Programs from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Strengthening 988 in New York state - New York state (nys) will build on its nationally recognized 988 suicide and crisis lifeline system to strengthen timely, local crisis response across all 62 counties. This project will help ensure that all new yorkers can quickly connect to 988 in the modality of their choice. Led by the nys office of mental health (nysomh), this project will expand 988 capacity across call, chat, and text, support workforce expansion, improve follow-up and referral pathways, strengthen substance and overdose crisis response, and improve 988/911 coordination. The project will reach all 62 counties in New York state. New York's 988 system includes fourteen 988 contact centers operating 24/7. Since the national launch of 988, New York has had significant growth in routed contacts. Continued investment in state response capacity will address contact center level performance variation, sustain workforce capacity, expand chat and text response, strengthen follow-up implementation to meet nys standards, improve referral pathways, and reduce reliance on national backup systems. Services supported through this project will be available to individuals of all ages across New York state who contact 988 by call, chat, or text. The population to be served includes individuals experiencing suicidal ideation, thoughts of self-harm, overdose risk, substance use crisis, mental health crisis, emotional distress, co-occurring mental health and substance use needs, or concern for another person in crisis. Individuals may require crisis de-escalation, suicide risk assessment, safety planning, substance use or overdose-related support, referral to mobile crisis or other behavioral health services, follow-up, warm handoff, or connection to community-based resources. The goals of this project are to ensure continuous access to nys 988 contact centers through call, chat, and text; strengthen quality assurance, clinical oversight, and sentinel event review; improve follow-up, referral protocols, and continuity of care after 988 contact; improve substance use and overdose crisis response; and strengthen statewide 988 sustainability, technology, cybersecurity, 988/911 coordination, and tribal engagement. Measurable objectives include maintaining a statewide answer rate of at least 90% for 988 calls each project year; maintaining a statewide answer rate of at least 90% for total 988 chats and texts by the end of year 3; reviewing contact center level performance at least monthly; reviewing workforce needs at least quarterly; evaluating compliance with SAMHSA’s 988 network administrator follow-up requirements within 120 days of award; monitoring follow-up offer and completion rates at least monthly to support nys’s expectations that follow-up be offered to all 988 contacts; implementing statewide standardized real-time referral protocols by the end of year 1; strengthening statewide sentinel event protocols by the end of year 2; developing 988/911 coordination and integration protocols by the end of year 2; and updating the nys 988 sustainability plan no later than six months before the end of the grant period.