Move faster to fix suicide hotline

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 16, 2012

~~<p>Mental health problems possibly leading to suicide are a major crisis requiring emergency counseling — but unfortunately, those in need too often have been unable to get through to a counselor at a state-run hotline. The state Health Department has recognized the problem, but needs to treat it as an emergency in order to repair a last line of defense that hasn't worked as it should.</p>
<p>Records show that in September alone, more than 1,200 of the 9,631 calls that were made to the Hawaii Access Hotline were abandoned by the caller after an average of 16 rings, listened to a recording announcement and then were often asked to leave a message, which took as long as a half hour for someone to call them back.</p>
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Mental health problems possibly leading to suicide are a major crisis requiring emergency counseling — but unfortunately, those in need too often have been unable to get through to a counselor at a state-run hotline. The state Health Department has recognized the problem, but needs to treat it as an emergency in order to repair a last line of defense that hasn't worked as it should.

Records show that in September alone, more than 1,200 of the 9,631 calls that were made to the Hawaii Access Hotline were abandoned by the caller after an average of 16 rings, listened to a recording announcement and then were often asked to leave a message, which took as long as a half hour for someone to call them back. Login for more...