KOCO News: The Oklahoma City Fire Department has responded to nearly 500 attempted suicide calls this year and is hoping a new program will connect people with resources before it’s too late.
The Mobile Integrated Health Program aims to link individuals with licensed health professionals and recovery specialists.
The Oklahoma City Fire Department has established four specialized teams, including the Crisis Call Diversion Team, which redirects 911 calls related to mental health issues to appropriate resources.
Another team, the Crisis Response Team, consists of a mental health professional and a paramedic who visit individuals at their homes. The program also includes the Alternative Response Team and the Community Advocacy Program, all designed to provide individuals in crisis with the best and most suitable response to their specific needs.
“We’re able to sit and talk with a person and really listen and get them connected to resources in the community,” said a representative from the Crisis Call Diversion Team. “Our Crisis Call Diversion Team can dispatch out one of our mobile teams to go out and actually meet the resident where they’re at.”
The fire department emphasizes that these programs are available to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, as well as their loved ones.
For those struggling with mental health, support is available through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, which operates 24 hours a day.