Project Grant H79FG001493

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Community Crisis Services And Food Bank $249,991 on September 30, 2026, under the 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Programs (CFDA 93.00R) to enhance follow-up capacity for 988 crisis line users in Iowa through September 29, 2029.

Community Crisis Services And Food Bank will hire 4 full-time equivalent follow-up specialists (cumulatively with Foundation 2 Crisis Services, Iowa's second 988 center) to provide sustained post-crisis support. Specialists will conduct suicide and overdose risk screening, reinforce safety plans, connect clients to behavioral health resources, and support emotional processing and long-term wellbeing strategies. Target populations include 988 users with any level of suicidal ideation, who will receive two follow-up conversations (at 24 hours and within 14 days per Lifeline guidance), and high-risk users who will receive 3–12 months of ongoing follow-up care. The project addresses Iowa's above-national-average suicide attempt, mortality, and overdose rates by elongating crisis support beyond immediate intervention, with anticipated outcomes including reduced suicide and overdose risk, increased behavioral health service utilization, and expanded follow-up communication modalities.

Place of performance is Iowa City, Iowa.