Integral Care, Travis County’s Local Mental Health Authority that supports adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities, announces enhancements to its 24/7 Helpline.

 

Integral Care’s 24/7 Helpline, originally established as a volunteer crisis and resource hotline in the late 1960s, expanded its services in 2015 to improve access to care and provide direct connection to around-the-clock mental health crisis support as well as Integral Care’s programs and services for adults and children. Most recently, Integral Care began providing access to Helpline services through interpretation services available in 15 languages as well as implemented an automated callback feature.

 

“Connecting people to ongoing care is critical for recovery, health and well‐being,” said David Evans, CEO of Integral Care. “When someone calls the Helpline, it’s often the first time they’re reaching out for help. Having one point of entry to Integral Care, through our 24/7 Helpline, makes it easier for people to access the health services they need when they need them.”

 

In FY’17, the Helpline supported almost 250,000 calls. Over 18,000 people were connected to immediate support just by calling 512-472-HELP.

 

“The Helpline was literally a lifesaver,” said an Integral Care client. “My husband had just passed away. If I hadn’t had the Helpline, I wouldn’t be here today. They gave me reassurance that I was not alone, that there was help out there. They connected me to ongoing care within Integral Care. Today, I have my case manager, my peer support specialist, my nutritionist, my personal trainer. It’s an overall, well-rounded support system that I’ve gotten through Integral Care. It’s made my life whole again.”

 

Integral Care’s 24/7 Helpline features include:

 

  • One point of entry to Integral Care’s programs and services.
  • A team of to 40 trained call-center professionals.
  • Access to Integral Care services through interpretation services available in 15 languages.
  • Immediate emotional support for a mental health crisis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Access to Integral Care’s programs and services for adults and children experiencing mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • Access to appointment scheduling.
  • Connection to emergency services.
  • Connection to trusted community resources through 211.
  • Support for billing questions.
  • Proactive, follow up calls to ensure services were delivered and the client is benefiting from the services.
  • Automated callbacks so people don’t have to wait on hold when making follow up appointments.

 

“The Integral Care 24/7 Helpline provides hope to individuals,” said Nicole Warren, supervisor of the Helpline. “That’s what we do on a regular basis. Letting people know that they are not alone, and getting them connected to life-saving resources at Integral Care is an important part of our job. Our Helpline is saving lives and improving access to quality health care for our community.”