(Feb. 27, 2025) – House Health and Human Services Committee, chaired by Representative Will Carpenter (R-El Dorado), heard an update on the 988 services in Kansas, presented by Drew Atkins of the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. Atkins highlighted the following:
- What is 988? It was formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
- Who currently answers 988 Calls? Headquarters Kansas, COMCARE of Sedgwick County, Johnson County Mental Health Center, Wyandot Behavioral Health Network and HealthSource Integrated Solutions
- The history of funding and enactment
- Geo-fencing capabilities that went live in the fall of 2024
- In May 2024, monthly contacts exceeded half a million, up one-third from May 2023
- Test Usage increased 1,135 percent in the previous 12 months
- Chats increased 141 percent in the last 12 months
- Calls increased 46 percent over the last 12 months
- Contacts by county
- The 988 Coordinating Council Oversight
The committee also heard from the chief administrative officer with HealthSource and received a presentation from Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services Commissioner Drew Adkins about the Mental Health Intervention Team Program in schools that serve more than 130 schools.
The committee will meet again next week.