Cooperative agreement for colorado to improve local 988 capacity - the 988 state improvement project aims to utilize funds for the following objectives: 1) facilitate effective coordination and…

Cooperative agreement for colorado to improve local 988 capacity - the 988 state improvement project aims to utilize funds for the following objectives: 1) facilitate effective coordination and collaboration between the 988/911 services across the crisis continuum in colorado. Specific plans will be developed to account for regional differences; 2) enhance collaboration and understanding with local public safety answering points (psaps); 3) implement a comprehensive statewide quality assurance and continuous quality improvement plan; 4) execute a 988/911 integration communication plan and a statewide marketing campaign; 5) improve colorado's centralized resource directory, known as colorado ownpath; 6) enhance the rocky mountain crisis partners (rmcp) mobile crisis response dispatch portal to enhance referral tracking and follow-up care. To achieve these objectives, colorado will establish regional workgroups that will inform statewide efforts and create regional process maps outlining crisis services. Statewide training for public safety answering points (psaps) will be provided to improve coordination between 911 and 988, and psap staff will be recruited to participate in regional workgroups. Monthly reports outlining 911 resource center and coordination efforts will be developed to increase awareness throughout the state. A state quality assurance plan will be created based on continuous data analysis and trend recognition. Trend data will be presented monthly to the steering committee and made available to the public through a data dashboard. The care directory in colorado will be enhanced to track information related to individuals using the 988 services. A statewide marketing strategy will be implemented, and the campaign's effectiveness will be measured using industry-standard benchmarks. During the first six months of the calendar year 2022, colorado's statewide crisis line experienced a significant increase in call volume, with a record high of 18,881 calls in may 2022. Although the volume for 988 remains considerably lower than the statewide crisis line, IT has been steadily increasing each month, reaching a total of 52,949 calls from july 2022 to may 2023. Based on the current 988 call volume, this project is expected to serve approximately 63,539 individuals per year and 190,616 individuals over the lifetime of the project. However, the behavioral health administration (BHA) anticipates a significant increase in 988 call volume as the implementation progresses and calls previously handled by the crisis line are transferred to 988. The 988 state improvement project will utilize funds to support colorado's commitment to integrate the statewide crisis line and prioritize 988 as the primary point of access to colorado crisis services. Colorado crisis services is the state's 24/7/365 crisis response system, available to anyone in colorado, regardless of their ability to pay. This project will prioritize statewide behavioral health resource navigation and increase access to colorado's most vulnerable populations in need of crisis response services and support.