JACKSON, Wyo. — Wyoming’s suicide prevention and crisis hotline is now live seven days a week.
The Wyoming LifeLine got a boost from a series of grants in order to increase its operations, according to an announcement from the organization. Now, Wyomingites in crisis have a better chance of reaching a fellow Wyomingite when in crisis.
“Callers have a sense of relief when they realize they are speaking with someone else in Wyoming who understands the unique challenges of living in our rural state,” said Wyoming LifeLine Executive Director Ralph Nieder-Westermann.
The grants were awarded by Vibrant, the operator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Callers who dial the National Suicide Hotline will be rerouted to the Wyoming Lifeline if they call between 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. Calls made between 4 p.m. and midnight will be routed to the state’s other lifeline, operated by Central Wyoming Counseling Center in Casper. Calls made between midnight and 4 p.m. will be answered by national overflow centers.
“With this expansion, in-state coverage will increase from 72% to 83%,” Nieder-Westermann said.
While operating Monday through Friday, the Greybull-based WYLL averaged 55 calls per month over the last quarter, fielding crisis calls from 17 of the state’s 23 counties.
Further expansion to ensure 24/7 in-state coverage is expected thanks to additional grants from SAMSHA as well as America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding which has recently passed the Wyoming State Legislature.
“The ARPA funding is being used to assist mental health needs and address the impact of the pandemic while contributing to the recovery of residents,” said Nieder-Westermann.
