TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is readying for the arrival off the 988 Mental Health Lifeline this summer and has chosen a vendor to operate the statewide call center.
The 988 number was approved by the Federal Communications Commission in a push to replace the 11-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to a shorter, easier to remember number.
ODMHSAS is coordinating the statewide rollout of the mental health lifeline as part of its comprehensive crisis response system. Eventually the call center will integrate with the 911 system, says ODMHSAS commissioner Carrie Slatton-Hodges.
Arizona-based company Solari Crisis and Human Services has been chosen for the call center vendor. The company is in the process of establishing an Oklahoma City location and will be hiring 31 positions.
“This company has developed customized technology to build a system that has been extremely successful,” Slatton-Hodges said. “They are experts at recognizing people in crisis and connecting them to the guidance and services they need.”