A suicide hotline that directs calls to crisis lines throughout the province will not be shut down after all.
The Crisis Line Association of B.C. was planning to close the toll-free 1-800-suicide and 310mental health (310-6789) numbers since funding was due to run out July 1, but the Provincial Health Services Authority has offered interim funding for the service until March 31, 2014.
"The Provincial Health Services Authority and the B.C. Mental Health and Addiction Services were concerned about the potential risks of closure of the networks on June 30, 2013, which is why we have found one-time funding that will prevent this immediate closure," wrote Dr. Connie Coniglio, for the Provincial Health Services Authority, in a statement to The Record.
On Monday, the association confirmed the health authority will provide $120,000 to the crisis line association to continue operating the two numbers that route calls to the province's 14 individual crisis lines. The health authority will also immediately begin the process of assessing the service throughout the next nine months to determine how to continue the funding after April 1 next year.
"I'm very optimistic that it's going to end up meaning a far better opportunity for callers across the board come next April, because we'll have a chance to work out what currently is the situation," said Jackie Yurick, spokesperson for the Crisis Line Association of B.C. "...I think at the end of the day, it's going to be better access service delivery for callers."
Since the two network numbers were launched, they've handled 50,000 calls, and B.C. crisis lines field one call every three-and-a-half minutes, according to the association. During times when demand for service is high, the service automatically re-routes calls to other crisis lines to increase response time.
Peggy Mrazek, a retired grief counsellor in New Westminster, said she is pleased to hear the funding will allow the phone service to continue, but wants to see the suicide hotline become a permanently funded service in the province.
"I would hope that in the future it will not have to be revisited every year, and that it will end up permanently coming under the ministry of health," she said.
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