Why You Need to Know the Number 9-8-8

Dear Fellow Vermonter,

It is no secret that Vermont and the entire nation are facing a mental health crisis. This crisis has been long-standing, but it has been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic – and all of the illness, fears, isolation, and disrupted school and work schedules that we have experienced. As a result, in the last few years, Americans have experienced an increase in anxiety and depression, drug and alcohol related deaths, death by suicide, and intimate partner violence.

There is no magic solution to this mental health crisis, not on a personal level or as a society. The most important thing we can do, however, is to acknowledge its reality and do everything we can to make sure that people get the treatment and assistance they need. We must also end the stigma associated with mental illness. People who are struggling with this condition should not have to face any more shame or embarrassment than people who have broken their legs, have cancer, or suffered heart attacks. Mental illness is an illness.

As your U.S. Senator, I will do everything I can to greatly increase funding for expanded mental health treatment. In recent years, Congress has made some progress in this area but we have a long, long way to go. The goal must be that anyone in a crisis situation, regardless of income, should be able to immediately get the help they need.

Below you can find some information on help that is available now.

Perhaps most importantly, there is now a new easy-to-remember number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Anyone, anywhere, in the country can now get free, confidential help that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week simply by dialing or texting 9-8-8. When people call, text, or chat 9-8-8, they are connected to trained counselors who provide support and resources, including interpretation services in more than 150 languages. Friends and family members who might be concerned about their loved ones are also welcome to call. Vermonters can also text "VT” to 741741 to get help and dial or text 833-888-2557 to connect with peer support through Pathways Vermont.

Below we’ve compiled some helpful resources beyond 9-8-8. If someone you know is in need of care, I ask that you please forward this email to them.

Sincerely, 

Resources

9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

The new 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7, free of charge, to connect callers with trained counselors. Learn more below and here: https://988lifeline.org.

• Friends and family members who might be concerned about their loved ones are also welcome to call.
  
  
• Veterans can connect to the Veterans Crisis line by calling 9-8-8 and pressing 1.
  
  
• Those who speak Spanish can press 2, and the national system provides interpretation services for more than 150 additional languages. 
  
  

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Vermont

NAMI Vermont is a statewide, nonprofit, grassroots, volunteer organization comprised of people who live with a mental health condition, families, and advocates. NAMI Vermont offers support and advocates so that all communities, families, and individuals affected by mental illness or mental health challenges can get the support they need. To contact NAMI Vermont, call their office at (802) 876-7949 or Toll Free at (800) 639-6480. You can also email them at info@namivt.org or visit their website at https://namivt.org/.

• Need help? If you or somebody you know has a mental health condition and needs help, reach out to NAMI by texting “HelpLine” to 62640 or visit NAMI.org/help.
  
  
• Learn more about warning signs and symptoms here: https://nami.org/About-mental-Illness/Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms. Or text/call 9-8-8 to talk with a trained crisis counselor.
  
  
• October 6 was National Depression Screening Day. Learn more, take a screener today or any day, and get help here: https://landing.google.com/screener/depression.
  
  
• October 10 was World Mental Health Day. Check in on friends and family to see how their mental health is doing, today or any day. If you or somebody you know needs support, reach out to NAMI for help by texting "HelpLine" to 62640 or visit NAMI.org/help to get started.
  
  

Facing Suicide VT

Facing Suicide VT is a statewide initiative – started by the Vermont Department of Health and Department of Mental Health, and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – to get Vermonters the help they need. They provide access to suicide prevention, education, support, and advocacy resources.

• Learn more about Facing Suicide VT and how to get involved at: FacingSuicideVT.com.
  
  

Vermont Care Partners

Vermont Care Partners is a statewide network of non-profit community-based agencies that specializes in providing mental health, substance use, and intellectual and developmental disability services and support.

• For a list of their different services, visit: https://vermontcarepartners.org/services-and-supports/.
  
  
• For the locations of their agencies, visit: https://vermontcarepartners.org/agencies/.
  
  
• For more information, you can email them at contact@vermontcarepartners.org, call them at (802)-223-1773, or visit their website at: https://vermontcarepartners.org/.
  
  

Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH)

The Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH) serves to promote and improve the health of Vermonters throughout our state so everyone can live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. Vermont DMH oversees publicly-funded community-based and inpatient services to ensure early intervention and mental health treatment.

• For a full list of services, visit: https://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/services. 
  
  
• For more information or to get in touch with Vermont DMH, you can call (802) 241-0090 or visit: https://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/. 
  
  

Vermont Peer Service Organizations

For information on peer-to-peer services in Vermont, see below for a list of some organizations compiled by the Vermont Department of Mental Health. You can also read the full list here: https://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/services/peer-services.

• Alyssum: Alyssum's two bed home is a residential crisis respite and hospital diversion service funded by the Vermont Department of Mental Health. The program is free to all eligible Vermont residents. It is peer-run and designed for people who need short term support while working on recovery and discovery.
  • Learn more here: https://www.alyssum.org/

• Another Way: Community center offering outreach, development/enhancement of natural supports networks, support groups, service linkages, crisis prevention, and employment and housing supports. Specializes in serving individuals who are not eligible or choose not to access Designated Agency Community Rehabilitation and Treatment services.
  • Learn more here: http://www.anotherwayvt.org/

• Copeland Center: Supports training, mentoring and groups focused on the use of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) self-management and recovery tool among peer and professional service providers.
  • Learn more here: https://copelandcenter.com/

• Northeast Kingdom Human Services Peer Cadre: Provides respite and peer support for individuals waiting in hospital emergency departments for inpatient psychiatric care.
  • Learn more here: https://nkhs.org

• Pathways Vermont Support Line: Statewide organization providing community outreach, support groups, local peer-run micro-initiatives, telephone support, referral and emotional support, education, advocacy, and transition support between hospital and community treatment settings.
  • Learn more here: https://www.pathwaysvermont.org/what-we-do/our-programs/vermont-support-line/

• Pathways Vermont Community Center: Community center offering outreach, development/enhancement of natural support networks, support groups, service linkages, crisis prevention, and employment and housing supports. Specializes in serving young adults who are not eligible or choose not to access Designated Agency Community Rehabilitation and Treatment services.
  • Learn more here: http://www.pathwaysvermont.org/what-we-do/our-programs/pvcc/

• Peer Workforce Development Initiative: Pathways Vermont was awarded a grant for a Peer Workforce Development Initiative (PWDI) by the Department of Mental Health (DMH) in early 2020. The Peer Workforce Development Initiative grant was developed by DMH to help the state build and maintain an infrastructure for a statewide mental health peer workforce. Goals of the initiative include, creating a steering committee, evaluating statewide peer workforce needs, facilitating awareness and participation by providing resources and information to peer support workers, and ensuring the availability of peer support worker training.
  • Learn more here: https://www.pathwaysvermont.org/what-we-do/statewide-peer-workforce-resources/

• Soteria: Pathways Vermont’s Soteria is a transitional Therapeutic Community Residence which provides a safe, non-restrictive alternative to hospitalization for individuals experiencing an initial episode of psychosis who wish to minimize their exposure to medications. Soteria supports residents to make informed choices around medication use. The residence is located in Burlington and has the capacity to serve up to five individuals at a given time.
  • Learn more here: https://www.pathwaysvermont.org/what-we-do/our-programs/soteria-house/

• Vermont Family Network: Empowers and supports all Vermont families of children with special health needs so that all children can reach their potential.
  • Learn more here: https://www.vermontfamilynetwork.org/

• Vermont Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health: Supports families and children where children or youth are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges. They are committed to providing families with peer support and information in order to make informed decisions, empowering families and youth to navigate service and support systems.
  • Learn more here: https://www.vffcmh.org/

• Vermont Psychiatric Survivors: An independent, statewide mutual support and civil rights advocacy organization run by and for psychiatric survivors. Founded in 1983, they offer mutual support, publish a quarterly newspaper that is distributed throughout Vermont, offer patient representation in Vermont psychiatric hospitals and residential facilities, sponsor peer-led support groups, advocate and educate to challenge discrimination, and offer technical assistance to allied organizations.
  • Learn more here: https://www.vermontpsychiatricsurvivors.org/