In July 2022, Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit administrator of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, announced that, “Hope has a new number!” with the transition to the new, easy to remember three-digit access code. The 988 Lifeline is far more than just a number. The change has brought needed awareness, reduced the stigma around mental health and allowed more people to quickly seek and access crisis support. Because it utilizes a model of local centers connecting callers to community services, the 988 Lifeline is playing a critical role in building out a responsive and comprehensive continuum of crisis care across the country. 

David Minot, Executive Director of Mental Health News Education, the non-profit organization that publishes Behavioral Health News, interviews Johana Lizarraga, a Program Coordinator of Outpatient Substance Use Services at Outreach in NYC and Long Island. Johana details her work with the Spanish speaking Latin community as a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) where she is changing the world through healing, recovery, and advocacy for those who truly need it.

This article explores current challenges within the behavioral healthcare system that may be attributed to factors beyond the traditional scope of healthcare. Globalization, economic upheaval associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and related factors have contributed to a marked increase in the incidence of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and other manifestations of human distress. Amelioration of our behavioral health crisis requires a recognition of its root causes.

The New York State Department of Health has been made aware of a rapid increase in opioid-related overdoses in the Central New York region. Providers and public encouraged to take advantage of a new standing order, allowing New Yorkers to get naloxone without a prescription.