In a stride toward bolstering mental health support for Wisconsinites, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) unveiled $16.9 million in federal grants Wednesday to support Wisconsin’s 988 suicide prevention hotline.
The 988 Wisconsin Lifeline provides bilingual support with a “focus on de-escalation and coping skills” by answering calls, texts and chats from residents statewide, according to Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services.
The funding is provided through two federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants, allocating $3.14 million in Congressional Spending Project grants through September 2024 and $4.6 million per year in Wisconsin 988 Improvement Project grants through September 2027.
“We are grateful for the federal government’s continued investment in this vital service,” Evers said in a press release Wednesday. “These grants will help continue the good work of the folks at the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline to make sure that when our family, friends and neighbors need someone to talk to, somebody is there to provide support and help save lives.”
Since its inception of the three-digit number in July 2022, the program has fielded over 91,860 calls, 15,442 texts and 12,483 chats, the press release said.
“This will further help college students get immediate assistance in times of crisis, and I'm appreciative of the additional funding,” UW-Madison senior and District 8 Ald. MGR Govindarajan told The Daily Cardinal. “Gov. Evers is putting his money where Wisconsin's values are at, and I applaud it."
The funding is earmarked to expand the hotline’s workforce, which currently sits at 49 trained counselors and 15 managers. It also aims to bolster collaboration with 911 centers and county programs while elevating the hotline’s public awareness.
“I applaud the governor for providing funding for the 988 hotline, but more must be done,” said Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison.
Hong argued that the shortage of mental health providers is reaching a “catastrophic” level. According to SAMHSA, less than half of people with a mental illness could obtain prompt access to care in 2021.
“Directing flexible funds towards supporting existing mental health workers with competitive salaries and development is critical,” she said.
Evers included $3 million in funding for the service in the 2023-25 state budget along with $1 million for the establishment of a “suicide prevention program.” Republican lawmakers eliminated them from the final state budget. No state funding currently supports the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline, and the Legislature slashed mental health funding to less than 10% of what Evers proposed.
“There is hope. There is help,” said DHS Secretary Kirsten Johnson in the press release. “The 988 Wisconsin Lifeline has proven to be a valuable service in protecting and promoting the health and safety of all state residents. This funding will have a positive impact on saving lives.”
Jasper Bernstein is the Associate News Editor for The Daily Cardinal. Follow him on Twitter at @jasperberns.
