A sign for the Military and Veterans Crisis Line reading “Dial 988 then Press 1” is seen at the entrance to the Nebraska National Guard air base in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Sept. 9, 2022. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Lisa Crawford) The transition of the Veterans Crisis Line to the three-digit "988, press 1" option proved to be a success, although the Department of Veterans Affairs should improve staff support and supervision, a VA Office of Inspector General review has found.
The VA, along with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, switched from a 10-digit number to 988 in July 2022, with the Veterans Crisis Line accessed after dialing the three-digit number and pressing one.
At the time, VA officials believed they would see an increase of 122% to 154% in calls and moved to hire additional personnel to ensure there would not be any issues with the transition, according to a report published Thursday by the VA’s top watchdog .
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Calls did increase, but only by roughly 27%, and the line was equipped to handle the demand, according to the inspector general. But the office found that the responders could still use more support, especially after they handle a traumatic case, including suicide.
The VA inspector general found that roughly 72% of the staff said they were aware of support services provided by the VA following trauma, known as "postvention services," and the same percentage felt they were supported by their supervisors to get that help.
That number should be closer to 100%, according to inspector general analysts.
Veterans Crisis Line "staff would benefit from awareness and training regarding postvention resources," they wrote.
The inspector general also raised concerns about the number of supervisors at the line, which is headquartered in Canandaigua, New York. According to the report, before the 988 number was adopted, the ratio was roughly 1 supervisor for every 10 staff members. During the OIG review, which took place from 2020, before implementation, through 2023, inspectors found that a supervisor […]
VA Crisis Line’s Switch to 988, Press 1, a Success, Watchdog Finds
