Common use of Background and Overview Clause in Contracts

Background and Overview. In 2020, The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act was passed by the Federal Government, designating 988 as the emergency number for behavioral health crises. The passage of House Bill 2417 in Oregon during the 2021 session directs Oregon Health Authority to study and evaluate methods to expand and enhance Oregon’s Behavioral Health Crisis Response System. The current Lifeline Centers in Oregon will become 988 Crisis Call Centers when the 988 Crisis Hotline goes live nationally on July 16, 2022. The Crisis Hotline will be answered by trained and qualified Crisis Intervention Specialists who will triage calls, texts, and chats and provide remote screening and intervention 24/7, as well as activate an in-person mobile crisis service response from the Community Mental Health Programs when appropriate. Crisis Intervention Specialists may provide remote crisis assessment, intervention and/or information and referrals to County Mental Health Programs, local law enforcement, or other appropriate resources. Those seeking assistance can ask questions and share concerns about themselves or someone they know who may be experiencing mental illness, substance use, developmental disability, or thoughts of self- harm or suicide. Crisis services that can be addressed by the 988 Call Center are not limited to suicide prevention, but also include, services to address depression, anxiety, sexual assault, domestic violence, grief, runaways, elderly concerns, emergency disaster crisis response, substance use disorder, and critical incident stress debriefing. Oregon Health Authority also seeks to address workforce development as a priority, with particular focus on recruiting and supporting a workforce that is culturally responsive and reflects the racially, ethnically, linguistically, ability- and gender-diverse populations across the state. This priority and expectation apply to 988 Call Centers as well.