WYOMING – On Feb. 23 Governor Gordon signed a bill to provide 24/7 coordinated crisis care to anyone in Wyoming accessing the 988 system.
988 is the national suicide prevention telephone number and mental health crisis hotline system within the United States. Anyone who calls or texts 988 in Wyoming will be connected to a state provider trained in trauma informed care, de-escalation strategies and harm reduction. The service is free and confidential.
HB0065 will establish the 988 system for suicide prevention and mental health crises in Wyoming, provide requirements for the 988 system, establish duties of the department of health, establish the 988 trust fund and related reserve account with allocation of funds within and between accounts and specify immunity for telecommunications providers and confidentiality of information.
According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC), Wyoming has the highest death rate from suicide out of all the states and suicide is in the top ten leading causes of death in the state. In November 2022, Jackson Hole hosted a day of remembrance for survivors of suicide loss.
“It’s also important to know that a person doesn’t have to be in crisis to reach out.”
Jackson Hole currently has a robust local crisis line and walk-in services available to locals and visitors at 640 E. Broadway with the Mental Health & Recovery Services of Jackson Hole (MHRS), but the 988 system provides people with an additional option if they don’t feel comfortable talking to someone local in such a small community. 988 is also an easier number to remember than the 24 hour crisis line 307-733-2046.
If someone calls 988 and is connected to someone at the Casper center but still needs hands-on response, the Casper center can now contact MHRS of Jackson Hole to get that person in crisis local help.
“To me that’s a really important piece of any sort of response system, if you have someone who needs an intervention,” says Deidre Ashley, executive director of MHRS of Jackson Hole.
Ashley also tries to get people to focus on the “and then what” piece, how to continue to support people after they’ve made a crisis call. For her, this is why it’s still so important to invest in local areas in conjunction with supporting statewide and national mental health efforts.
It’s also important to know that a person doesn’t have to be in crisis to reach out to 988 or a local crisis hotline.
“You can be reaching out if you have anything to talk about – substance abuse, relationship issues, stressors, loved ones you care about, loneliness,” says Lindsay Long, behavioral health manager at St. John’s Health. “There’s a variety of different ways that it can be used.”
Find more information on MHRS of Jackson Hole here and a list of additional local resources available to the Jackson Hole community here. Talking about mental health and suicide is a critical part of preventing it.
