Springfield crisis line dispatchers already seeing results from recent $100,000 grant

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - A Springfield mental health center is expanding its 988 crisis and resource line all thanks to federal grant funding.

The money all comes from American Rescue Plan federal grant funds. Burrell Behavioral Health Crisis Line Supervisor Andy Tate, says Burrell strives to help everyone.

“There’s nothing worse when somebody calls, and they can’t be helped,” said Tate. “That is we want to help everybody.”

Tate said this money from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, is already going to good use.

“Allowed us to purchase some new equipment to better handle the increased volume of calls, our answer rate is like 2.5 seconds,” said Tate.

Tate said this technology can track calls and lessens the chance of a dropped call. Burrell Crisis Services Director, Natasha Corkins, said they see the need.

“In the last three months, we’ve answered over 6000 calls just in our crisis line alone,” said Corkins.

The crisis line is 1-800-494-7355 which includes the 988 suicide hotline.

Corkins said now they can give more help to issues such as housing assistance, hunger, veterans issues, pregnancy, and more.

“We’re just kind of this one-stop shop line where people can call and get information about what’s in their community,” said Corkins.

Tate said the money goes towards training dispatchers for more situations.

“Different people have different resiliency levels, and people have different resistance to receiving help,” said Tate. “We need to be able to overcome that.”

Tate also said they have a mobile crisis team that can come to you. The funds also mean Burrell can create a new coordinator position to oversee the crisis line and more training for dispatchers.

Again that number is 1-800-494-7355.

Staff said the resources are for Greene County, but this indirectly helps people who call in from other counties.

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