Some states are struggling to prepare for calls to the 988 mental health crisis line

Barbara Wheatley takes phone calls as part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network. Wheatley is an alcohol and substance abuse counselor, and the lead clinician for mobile crisis response for Memorial Behavioral Health in Springfield, Ill.

Staff at Memorial Behavioral Health in Springfield, Ill., are on call around the clock to talk with people struggling with suicidal thoughts, drug addiction or other mental health crises.

They provide a listening ear and help connect people to resources or crisis support, if needed.

Until recently, the hospital’s call center was operated by on-call nurses and other clinical staff. But at times when everyone was tied up with patients, calls would go unanswered, bumping the caller to the nearest available call center, often in another state or a national backup center.