GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Monday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a new mental health warmline across the state. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched the line to help Michiganders struggling with anxiety, loss, loneliness and more during the COVID-19 pandemic .
A warmline is similar to a hotline but is used for non-crisis and non-emergency calls.
The number is 888-PEER-753 (888-733-7753).
On the other end of the call, is a certified peer support specialists. These are a trained workforce, made up of people who have been through similar mental health challenges, and are now trained to help others cope and find help.
“People are really struggling with many things associated with the stay at home, stay safe order,” said Pam Werner, the manager for peer services, “And they’re not able to connect with their social support systems.”
The warmline is not a suicide hotline, nor a crisis line, but rather it’s staffed from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.
Additional goals of the warmline include reaching under-served, rural areas, and preventing struggling individuals from putting additional pressure on first responders.
“They have direct experience to what other callers are talking about,” said Werner, “they also have wellness plans and wellness tools and with their lived experience, they’re able to connect with callers on the phone, share they are a peer and have gone through many of the things the caller has gone though.”
Werner said the first evening the warmline launched, they received 250 calls.
If you are struggling with suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
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