To support the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Washington State Department of Health needs your help. In 2021, the state Legislature passed a law requiring the Washington State Department of Health to develop standards for crisis call centers to become crisis call center hubs.
To help create these rules, they will host three listening sessions. They want to hear from people who have used crisis call lines for themselves or for others, crisis call center staff, crisis responders, and others. They also want to learn how rules related to 988 crisis call center hubs standards could affect you, and will conduct two workshops to help write the rules.
Please read the Rulemaking for 988 Crisis Call Center Hubs flyers (links below) for more information on:
- 988 crisis call centers and call center hubs
- The set questions for each listening session
- Workshop objectives
- English Rulemaking for 988 Crisis Call Center Hubs
- Spanish Rulemaking for 988 Crisis Call Center Hubs
- Spanish communication for 988 Listening Sessions
Listening Sessions:
Thursday, November 10, 6 to 8 p.m. Audience: People who used a crisis line for others
Wednesday, November 16, 4 to 6 p.m. Audience: Crisis call center staff, responders, behavioral health care providers
Workshops:
We will use what we learn in the listening sessions to help draft standards for crisis call center hubs. We will provide the draft rule language for review before the workshop. At the workshop, we will review the draft language and listen to any concerns and feedback. Anyone who may be affected by the 988 crisis call center hubs rule should attend.
Workshops:
Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 6 to 8 p.m.
Thursday, December 15, 2022, 4 to 6 p.m.
The listening sessions and workshops will have American Sign Language interpreters and auto-generated closed captioning.
Persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency who would like to request accommodations may contact The Washington State Department of Health. Requests for interpreters and/or CART providers should be made by the date given in each registration link (below). We will make every effort to secure services, but services are subject to availability.
To join, please register by clicking on the session you plan to attend below:
- Listening Session 1: Thursday, November 3, 2022, 6-8 p.m.
- Listening Session 2: Thursday, November 10, 2022, 6-8 p.m.
- Listening Session 3: Wednesday, November 16, 2022, 4-6 p.m.
- Workshop 1: Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 6-8 p.m.
- Workshop 2: Thursday, December 15, 2022, 4-6 p.m.
Contact us if you are unable to attend but want to share your input. Send an email to Ashley Noble, Division of Prevention and Community Health Rules Coordinator, with any questions about the sessions or comments at 988ProgramInfo@doh.wa.gov.