988 Coordinating Council
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a federally funded resource for all Americans in crisis. In Kansas, the 988 contact centers are independently operated and receive additional state funding and oversight from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) and the 988 Coordinating Council. Earlier this year, after signing Senate Bill (SB) 19, a bipartisan bill to fund the statewide suicide prevention hotline 988, Governor Laura Kelly announced her appointments to the 988 Coordinating Council. The 17-member council consists of 11 voting members and six non-voting members. The Council will advise KDADS on the utilization of funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and 988-related services like mobile crisis and crisis stabilization. The Council began meeting on December 20, 2022, and will sunset on June 30, 2026. KHI provides support and facilitates the meetings.