As part of his ‘Year of the Child’ investments to keep New Mexico’s children safe, healthy and well educated, Gov. Bill Richardson recently announced that for the first time, the state is funding a toll-free, 24-hour help line, staffed and operated by UNM’s Agora Crisis Center, to support New Mexicans who need immediate help, especially teenagers.
Photo: Molly McCoy Brack gestures to Gov. Bill Richardson while explaining some problems associated with teen issues.
“I am committed to investing in resources that will enable New Mexico teens to find help fast when they are in crisis,” Gov. Richardson said. “Providing instant, easy access to mental-health care is an essential component of making New Mexico a healthier place for our children.”
The Agora Crisis Center has operated a help line for 35 years with support from the UNM’s student government. Now, with more than $200,000 of additional funding from the New Mexico Department of Health, the Crisis Center has made this number, 1-866-HELP-1-NM, toll-free and expanded it to 24 hours a day.
“Agora is the oldest student-run crisis center in the nation and the only one in New Mexico that is available for anyone to use,” said Molly McCoy Brack, director, Agora. “We have about 150 volunteers, and are taking approximately 4,800 calls per year. We will be hosting the new New Mexico Crisis Line along with our regular local line and our staff will be traveling around the state promoting the new toll-free line and talking about suicide prevention efforts in the state.”
The Department of Health received a $1.2 million federal grant in 2005 to establish a suicide prevention project. The project includes developing and implementing such activities as screening and assessment, and coordinating intervention, health promotion and community awareness.
“By supporting the help line with Department of Health funding, we’ll be able to reach more people who might not know such an incredible resource exists,” said Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham. “This line is for every New Mexican, but we will focus on teenagers, who often need additional support to cope with every day stresses.”
In 2004, 359 New Mexicans committed suicide. Seventy-six were between the ages of 15 and 24, the age group with the highest number of suicides. In 2002, the latest year for U.S. data, New Mexico ranked 5th in the country for the number of suicides per capita.
“Kids often need someone to talk with who is not going to ask their name, judge or punish them for thinking and feeling whatever they are experiencing,” said Brack. “Sometimes just having the freedom to say what you're feeling can diffuse volatile emotions and make you feel better.”
“It’s unfortunate there’s still a stigma attached to mental health,” said April Lawrence, Agora’s coordinator of the new statewide hotline. “We’re glad to offer free, confidential help to anyone who needs it.”
Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; e-mail: scarr@unm.edu
Posted by scarr at January 9, 2006 05:12 PM