COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Engaging diverse communities across our state has been an essential aspect of rolling out 988 in Georgia and a key directive of SAMHSA’s nationwide rollout. For the Georgia 988 Steering Committee, this includes consistent and transparent reporting of the data surrounding 988, and regularly sharing materials from the Community Partners and Planning Coalition meetings, featured below.

Georgia 988 Community Partners Coalition

The Georgia 988 Community Partners Coalition represents our model on improving behavioral health crisis response through partnership, active listening and collaboration. This merger of the 988 Community Partners, the 988 Planning Coalition, and the 988ga.org Website Coalition reflects prior progress and a streamlined approach to community engagement and input. As Georgia's crisis system evolves, this coalition will integrate feedback and expertise to ensure the 988 resources effectively support all Georgians. With 84.7% awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, surpassing the national average, our collective efforts have been transformative.

The Georgia 988 Community Partners Coalition aims to:

  1. Strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, including 988 and 911 systems, public safety, and mobile crisis teams.

  2. Champion equity through culturally responsive services, public education, and digital resources.

  3. Providing feedback on the evolution of the crisis system connected to 988.

Guided by principles from SAMHSA and NASMHPD’s Technical Assistance Coalition, the Georgia 988 Community Partners Coalition will ensure strategies align with national best practices.

MEETING MINUTES AND SLIDES

ARCHIVES: INITIAL PHASE WORKGROUPS

Community Partners

Also integrated into the Georgia 988 Community Partners Coalition on January 9, 2025, DBHDD planned to successfully roll out 988 while seeking to optimize access and inclusion of services to meet the unique needs of high-risk and diverse groups.

The 988 Community Partners Workgroup had been established to engage community members representing diverse and at-risk populations to assist in planning an effective and equitable rollout of 988. The workgroup's perspective was critical to building a crisis system for everyone, everywhere, every time.

The 988 Community Partners were charged with sharing their insights on Georgia's behavioral health crisis system and helped project the unique needs of their constituents with DBHDD. The workgroup convened regularly to discuss and provide feedback on the 988 rollout, including perspectives on marketing and public messaging, training and quality of care, accessibility of crisis services, and linkages to community crisis services and local resources.

Meeting Agendas and Materials

Integrated into the Georgia 988 Community Partners Coalition on January 9, 2025, at the initiation of 988 planning, DBHDD identified stakeholders who served as members for the Georgia 988 Planning Coalition. Members were identified based on the categories of key 988 stakeholders provided by Vibrant Emotional Health, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline administrator, in addition to identifying stakeholders, partners, and subject matter experts critical to Georgia’s current crisis system and planning for the future system. The membership of the Georgia 988 Planning Coalition included providers, individuals with lived experience, law enforcement, emergency services, and advocacy organizations.

The Georgia 988 Planning Coalition was assembled and convened regularly to inform planning efforts. During these sessions, coalition members presented on the current state, challenges, and opportunities for enhancements across their respective components of the crisis continuum (e.g., current Lifeline call center, 911 centers, mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization, and peer services). The Coalition explored the existing crisis system and important considerations when planning for 988, including workforce, stakeholder coordination, training, processes, and public education and awareness.

Meeting Agendas and Materials

Planning Coalition

Questions or Interest

If your organization is interested in joining the Georgia 988 Community Partners Coalition, please contact the Georgia 9-8-8 Steering Committee.