The Crisis Connection phone line was one of the tools I had and used within my mental health toolbox.
Talk therapy is the most effective approach in dealing with depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD, job loss, financial problems, drug addiction, and domestic abuse — just about any problem you have. To have the ability to call a trusted volunteer counselor 24/7 was priceless.
The Crisis Connection line was in existence for over 50 years and now it is disconnected. If those at the State Capitol cannot see the need to get it back up and running based on compassion, then maybe looking at the financial realities of not having it available will get them to act.
When the Crisis Connection phone lines were available, they could catch a crisis before it grew and becomes a major financial crisis — with the police and paramedics possibly getting called or causing emergency room visits.
It does not take a lot of money to keep the phones on, especially compared to the cost of people having escalating mental health crises because they did not have a trusted professional to talk to. These are volunteers answering the phones.
A billion dollars are being spent right now on all this road construction in the metro area –yet is a state-of-the-art freeway system more important than our community’s mental health?
The cost of building just one mile of freeway is more than what the Crisis Connection needed to keep the phones and lights on. Our elected officials need to be smarter.
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