Nevada, along with a few other states, imposes an additional charge on phone bills to support its 988 mental health emergency hotline. According to a recent report by mental health advocacy group Inseparable, increasing this surcharge from 35 cents to 98 cents could generate about $3 million annually for Nevada.
Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer for Inseparable, emphasized that this report aims to assist policymakers and state leaders in creating a fair and sustainable crisis response system. The report highlighted that Nevada currently answers 68% of in-state calls, falling short of the recommended 90% or higher.
“We have a long way to go before achieving a universally accessible system across all parts of America,” Kimball acknowledged.
Kimball noted that the implementation of 988 has led to changes in how local jurisdictions handle mental health crises. Nevada has established a workgroup to develop collaborative response protocols between 988 and 911, which is seen as a positive step. However, the report identified areas for improvement in call center capacity, crisis response, and system funding.
Nevada has the 39th highest suicide rate in the United States and ranks 50th in overall mental health, according to the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health. Kimball stressed the importance of improving these statistics, highlighting that a lack of effective response systems can be a matter of life or death for individuals.
“People going without assistance, ending up on the streets, incarcerated, in emergency rooms, hospitalized—voluntarily or involuntarily—or tragically losing their lives,” Kimball pointed out.
The report also provides policy examples from various states, both Republican and Democratic, that have made strides in this area. Kimball hopes these examples will inspire other states to take similar actions. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, you are encouraged to call or text 988.
