Project Grant H79FG001154

THE MAINE CRISIS LIFELINE COMMUNITY COORDINATION AND FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM - THE OPPORTUNITY ALLIANCE: PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY THE MAINE CRISIS LIFELINE COMMUNITY COORDINATION AND FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM THE OPPORTUNITY ALLIANCE (TOA) MAINE CRISIS LIFELINE (MAINE CRISIS LINE AND 988 SUICIDE LINE) SEEKS FUNDING TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR SUICIDAL INDIVIDUALS BY ADDRESSING AN OFTEN SEGMENTED SYSTEM OF CRISIS CARE IN MAINE. BY HARNESSING THE POWER OF COORDINATION AND FOLLOW-UP, WHILE UTILIZING A TRAUMA-INFORMED, DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH, SUICIDAL PERSONS IN MAINE WILL RECEIVE A ROBUST CONTINUUM OF CARE. PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE MAINE CRISIS LIFELINE, 911, MAINE'S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND OFFICE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (OBH), PORTLAND REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT (PRCC), AND THE PORTLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT (PPD) WILL INCREASE SYSTEM-WIDE COLLABORATION AND USE OF BEST PRACTICES, SUPPORT SUICIDAL INDIVIDUALS THROUGH FOLLOW-UP, DECREASE UNNECESSARY POLICE ENGAGEMENT, AND IMPROVE CRISIS CARE FOR HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS. THE PARTNERS BELIEVE THAT ANOTHER BENEFIT OF THIS PROJECT IS THE LARGE SETS OF DATA THAT WILL BE GATHERED TO INFORM FUTURE EFFORTS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT AT LEAST 25% OF CALLS INTO 988 WILL ENGAGE IN THE FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM; 1800 IN THE FIRST YEAR, AND 5400 TOTAL BY THE END OF YEAR THREE. SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON ENGAGING CALLERS FROM THE HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR, INDIVIDUALS IN SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT PROGRAMS, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS, AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MAINE CRISIS LIFELINE COMMUNITY COORDINATION AND FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM ARE: -INCREASE MCL'S CAPACITY TO PROVIDE CRITICAL FOLLOW-UP TO HIGH-RISK 988 CALLERS WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AFTER CONTACTING THE HOTLINE BY INCREASING STAFFING AND INTERNS AND IMPLEMENTING NEW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. -IMPROVE SERVICE COORDINATION AMONG CRISIS STABILIZATION; CRISIS RESPITE; AND MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH THROUGH CONVENINGS TO IMPROVE PROGRAM COORDINATION AND CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR 988 CALLERS EXPERIENCING SUICIDALITY. -IMPROVE COORDINATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, STARTING WITH THE PPD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFF, TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY POLICE ENGAGEMENT AND TO SAFEGUARD AND ULTIMATELY IMPROVE THE WELLBEING OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT RISK FOR SUICIDE. -IMPROVE COORDINATION BETWEEN 911 AND 988, INCREASING STATEWIDE ACCESS TO A COST-EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE AND DECREASING UNNECESSARY POLICE ENGAGEMENT BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH PRCC TO TRANSFER CALLS BETWEEN 911 AND 988. -IMPROVE CONNECTIONS FOR HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS BY WORKING WITH PARTNERS WHO SPECIALIZE IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO THESE POPULATIONS AS WELL AS HIRING A CRISIS PEER PARTNER WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. TO MONITOR AND REPORT ON THE PROJECT'S PROGRESS, PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM EVALUATION EFFORTS WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE MCL DATA TEAM AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. MCL ALREADY HAS EXPERIENCE SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTING SAMHSA FUNDED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM EVALUATIONS. THIS TEAM ALSO HAS AN EXISTING RELATIONSHIP WITH OBH IN MAINE'S CRISIS SYSTEM AND IS CURRENTLY COLLECTING DATA RELATED TO THE PROJECT'S PERFORMANCE MEASURES THROUGH ICAROL HELPLINE SOFTWARE AND AVAYA CALL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND REPORTING TO OBH AND VIBRANT.