The 988 Lifeline has helped millions of people in crisis since the July 2022 launch. Several states have organized stable funding through telecommunication fees. While less than half have created or are in the process of creating legislation to fund 988. There is no pending legislation to financially support the line in at least half […]
It’s widely acknowledged that there’s a desperate need for improved and expanded mental health services across the country—so much so that this is one of the few issues that appears to be gaining traction in both red and blue states. Significant investments have been made in recent months in bright red Montana and Texas and […]
Shifting our attitudes on the subject will make great strides in changing the mental health conversation.
Surviving schizophrenia, and making it to the other side, has given me a new and improved identity that I embrace.
Building a suicide prevention program is a complex — and likely emotional — challenge.
I seemingly had my life “in order,” but in reality, I was barely hanging on.
A randomized clinical trial of 178 veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) found that written exposure therapy (WET) had similar effects in reducing symptoms as the traditionally used prolonged exposure therapy (PE). Veterans received either five to seven sessions of WET or eight to fifteen sessions of the lengthier PE treatment, and were assessed at baseline, 10, 20, and 30 weeks after the initial treatment session. Improvements in symptom severity from baseline to all later assessments were similar among Veterans receiving WET and PE, with the largest difference favoring WET at 10 weeks. Furthermore, veterans receiving WET were less likely to stop treatment, suggesting it may reduce barriers to engagement associated with other interventions. To learn more, read the article in JAMA.
Nearly a year since the launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, there is still uncertainty about its role within the mental health system. One goal of 988 is to connect callers in urgent need of support with a mobile crisis team (MCT) in their area. However, a national survey of MCT personnel found that only a third of respondents (32%) indicated that their MCT could be reached by 988. Respondents were most likely to report that their MCT could be dispatched by calling the MCT directly (65%) or through 911 (54%). The findings highlight the need to continuously evaluate and improve 988 integration in communities, as well as the importance of communicating how individuals can reach an MCT if needed. To learn more, see the study in Psychiatric Services.
Engagement and retention of participants in clinical mental illness research studies can be low. To better understand the perspectives of direct stakeholders, researchers surveyed individuals diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum condition (SSC) and caregivers of a family member with a SSC regarding their knowledge, comfort, concerns and preferences related to mental illness clinical research. 67 individuals with a diagnosis and 131 caregivers were include in the final analysis. Overall, individuals with a diagnosis and caregivers were interested in engaging with clinical research. While respondents expressed discomfort with certain research procedures, the authors demonstrate that educational materials tailored to the concerns voiced by these populations may increase meaningful engagement. To learn more, see the study in Psychiatry Research.
Caring Letters is a suicide prevention intervention in which individuals receive letters of care and support with the goal of facilitating connection and lowering suicide risk. The Department of Veterans Affairs implemented a Caring Letters program in 2020 for all Veterans who contact the Veterans Crisis Line. A recent study adds to the evidence that the intervention is effective for this population. Researchers interviewed 23 Veterans who received nine letters over one year that included messages of support and mental health resources. Most participants reported that the letters had a positive impact, with some indicating they were more likely to engage with resources. However, they also offered areas for improvement. To learn more, see the study in Psychiatric Services.
NAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “NAMI” to 62640, or email. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).
