Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre hopes its crisis line will someday be able to transfer calls to the new 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline when necessary.
The new 988 toll-free, suicide prevention line, launched across Canada on Nov. 30, is for people having suicidal thoughts or other mental health distress. They can call or text 988 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter where they live in the country.
Patricia Arango, executive director of the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre, said right now, callers to the centre’s 24-hour Sexual Violence Help Line who need 988 must hang up and dial 988.
She said that’s not okay. People should not be left without any support.
“When the person is in crisis, we need to listen and make sure that person is still alive. We need to come up with a solution,” Arango said.
Related:
‘No one will be turned away’: 988 suicide crisis helpline launches across Canada
The Red Deer support centre has provided its 24-hour call, texting and web chat help line for about seven years and was the first program of its kind in Canada. People can call toll-free or text 1-866-956-1099, or text 403-986-4357, or call 403-356-1099, or webchat at www.casasc.ca.
The Central Alberta crisis line also answers calls to the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services talk-text-chat line called One Line when One Line is not in service at night.
She said being listed as a crisis line means volunteers can receive calls from people in serious crisis for different reasons, including suicidal thoughts.
“If they call, it’s because they need to speak to somebody. They need intervention.”
Arango said 988 is a beneficial program, and she has reached out to the province to find out if there is a way to transfer calls to 988.
Hunter Baril, press secretary for the Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, said 988 is operated in partnership with Alberta 211 which is the connector for local resources throughout the province.
“Because of the already available access to infrastructure through Alberta 211 and partners like the Centre for Suicide Prevention, our province was well-positioned to offer the 988 Helpline to Albertans. This partnership and co-location, ensures there is streamlined access to crisis intervention and community supports without the need for hanging up and calling another helpline,” Baril said in a statement.
Related:
Canada to implement 988 suicide crisis line starting in fall 2023
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, about 12 people die by suicide in Canada every day, adding up to about 4,500 lives lost each year. More than 200 people in Canada attempt suicide every day.
988 is a $158.4-million project funded and overseen by the Public Health Agency of Canada and led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.
The 988 helpline expands on the existing Talk Suicide Canada helpline, which had a toll-free 10-digit number and did not have 24-hour texting service.
In addition to CAMH, the 988 response network is staffed by more than three dozen partner organizations, including Kids Help Phone and community mental health agencies across the country.
— with files from The Canadian Press
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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