EVERETT — The region’s sluggish economy is a key reason why thousands more people sought help last year from a mental health crisis line operated by the Volunteers of America in Snohomish County, the agency reported.
"When the economy worsens, crisis line calls go up," said Karen Kipling, director of crisis response services. "During the holidays we had people calling with anxiety about money. Some didn’t have a job and wondered how they were going to buy toys and presents for their children."
The crisis line handled 9,610 more calls in 2003 than the
previous year. Calls jumped from 110,283 in 2002 to 119,893 in 2003.
About 66 percent of crisis line calls are from Snohomish County. The VOA’s trained mental health professionals also answer calls from Island, Skagit, Whatcom and San Juan counties.
The service receives the most calls during the holidays, Kipling said. In December, the VOA handled 9,303 calls.
That includes calls from police and hospitals reporting people who need emergency aid, she said. "We’re like 911 for mental health," Kipling said.
The crisis line helps callers who need emergency assistance, such as those considering suicide, links people with mental health services and provides a sympathetic ear to callers who feel overwhelmed or need advice.
"When everything else falls apart, the crisis line is always ready to listen," Kipling said.
Cutbacks in other mental health services also have increased the crisis line’s calls, Kipling said.
"The calls from people in the community are getting more complex, and there are more people who are saying that the services they used to be able to access are no longer available," she said. "For many people there isn’t another resource."
The VOA considers the crisis line the region’s mental health safety net, with professionals who know whether to send callers to 911, an appointment the next day with a mental health agency or dispatch an outreach worker to intervene.
About two-thirds of callers are female, with women often calling on behalf of a friend or family member who needs assistance, Kipling said.
A quarter of all calls come from youths, and 15 percent of calls come from seniors, she said.
The crisis line is especially critical for callers who say they’re considering taking their own lives.
"So frequently people don’t want to die. It’s just so difficult living, and they need a sense of hope," VOA clinical director Linda Carlson said. "We can give them that … as long as they stay alive, there’s the possibility things will get better."
Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@heraldnet.com.
Trained mental health professionals are available 24 hours a day, every day at the Volunteers of America regional mental health crisis line. Call 800-584-3578 for help.
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