What Happens When You Dial 988?

didn’t appear, that’s when we have our social worker come in and say is there systemic thing we can help you with? Connect you with resources.”

What is the answer?

Could connecting with 988 be the difference between life and death?

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, is now the easy-to-remember resource for reaching trained crisis counselors who can help with suicide, mental health and substance use-related crises.

In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to operate through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline This action expands the existing Lifeline beyond people who are feeling suicidal to all individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis, including suicidal thoughts or substance abuse issues.

“Crisis is defined by the caller,” said Dr. Debra Pinals, medical director for Behavioral Health and Forensic Programs, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “And by providing an easy-to-remember number we are making help more accessible and strengthening support to those in need. Trained counselors will be available 24/7 to field calls. They will listen to the caller’s problems, assess their needs and provide support by connecting them with resources, and alert local emergency

Tele-Medicine

From page A-3 tronic medical record patient portal. Each virtual appointment can last between 10 to 40 minutes, just like a regular office visit.

“There are many things that can be handled [via] virtual visits,” said Perkins-White. “From asking about your medications, discussing test results, basically anything that doesn’t require a physical exam. Video is best to connect more easily where we can take a look at spot on your skin, how you react to certain things and for us to pay attention to any nonverbals.”

HFH is working on improving and expanding its virtual care capabilities through this initiative, with a deliberate focus on bridging the digital divide gap with patients over the age of 65. To better understand the hurdles to using telehealth, the project specifical- crisis teams if necessary. The roll out of 988 as an easier number to remember will provide a natural extension to the already promising work of the department in implementing the Michigan Crisis and Access Line.”

Anyone with these concerns can call:

• Mental health-related distress

• Thoughts of suicide

• Substance use crisis

• Emotional distress.

There are specialized services available for veterans, LGBTQ individuals and other groups. And, people who are worried about a loved one who may need support also can call.

Since its debut last summer, the new three-digit number has routed over 2 million calls, texts and chat messages to call centers, with the vast majority being answered in under a minute, CNN reported.

“The average speed to answer year-over-year was about three minutes in 2021. It’s now 44 seconds in December of 2022,” said Dr. John Palmieri in the article. Palmieri serves as a senior medical advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, also 988’s deputy director.

Michiganders in crisis now have an easy-to-remember three-digit number to call for help –988. Michigan has joined ly recruits and engages older patients in focus groups. This will allow HFH to better understand the socioeconomic determinants of health, which include digital literacy and access to connection and gadgets.

Today, the convenience of at-home virtual care is beneficial to people with busy schedules, saving time and money that visiting an office would normally entail. Health care professionals say this new reality is likely to stay and advance.

“Virtual care is kind of parallel to the way we tried to figure out issues of transportation, 30 or 40 years ago,” said Perkins-White.

“It used to be that when we tried getting patients to find care at the doctor’s office, we looked for ways to get them a cab voucher. Well, virtual care gets you to that without you having to leave your couch. So, it’s really a great way to get people the help they need. Now we need to make sure it’s accessible to everyone and no one is being left behind.” the nation in transitioning to the 988 dialing code, operated through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s network of over 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers across the country.

February 1, 1865 - The 38th Congress approved the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution which abolished slavery.

February 1, 1902 - Langston Hughes, a poet and writer known for his elucidations of Black American life in his poems, stories, autobiographies and histories, was born in Joplin, Missouri.

February 2, 1915 - Ernest Just, a genetic biologist, won the first NAACP Spingarn Medal. He was recognized for his outstanding research in cell division and fertilization.

February 4, 1971 - J. C. Watts was the first African American to be chosen to respond to a State of the Union Address.

February 5, 1958 - Clifton R. Wharton Sr. was made a minister to Rumania (now spelled Romania). This career diplomat was the first Black to head a U.S. embassy in Europe.

“The 988 number is another step toward strengthening and transforming crisis care and mental health services in our state, which is a key focus of the department,” said Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) director. “This universal number means no matter where you live or call from, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help. We encourage Michigan residents or their family members to call 988 if they are experiencing mental health-related distress, emotional distress or a substance use crisis.”

For more information, visit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and Michigan Crisis & Access Line.

February 5, 1866 - Congressman Thaddeus Stevens proposed an amendment to the Freedmen’s Bureau Bill that authorized the distribution of public and confiscated land in 40-acre lots to freedmen and loyal refugees.

The 1920s was the decade of the “New Negro,” the Post World War I generation with growing racial pride and consciousness.

February 5, 1962 - A lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court to prevent Englewood, NJ, from maintaining “racial segregated” elementary schools.

The United Kingdom celebrates Black History Month in October. Josiah Henson escaped slavery in Maryland in 1830 and later established a settlement in Ontario, Canada, for other fugitive Black people.

In 2013, three Black women, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, started a Black-centered movement called Black Lives Matter with a social media hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter. This came after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in 2012. Black Lives Matter has organized demonstrations worldwide protesting police brutality, more recently after George Floyd’s death in 2020. Onesimus was enslaved during the 17th century in Boston and told a Puritan church minister, Cotton Mather, about the old practice of inoculation in Africa. By taking material from an infected person and scratching it into the skin of a non-infected person, one could purposefully introduce smallpox to a healthy person making them immune. His traditional African practice was utilized to inoculate American soldiers during the Revolutionary War and the concept was introduced to the United States.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is seeking proposals for hard construction subcontractors under 23-0169 – 2022 Capital Improvements – MLK Track Replacement.

A Pre-bid conference will be held at the MLK track, starting at 3:00 pm on February 3, 2023 located near 3200 E. Lafayette St., Detroit, MI 48207. Please meet at the track as opposed to the MLK school. Note: the above address is for the school, but the track is further down, adjacent to Leib St.

To obtain bidding documents visit detroitk12.org/ procurement and click on the “Bids, Requests, and Proposals” link in the upper right corner.

All questions are to be directed to the Owner’s Representative. No direct contact with the Owner or Architect is requested. All questions must be in writing and submitted to Jon DePew II at jon.depew@plantemoran. com, no later than February 7, 2023 at 12:00pm. The due date for Proposals is February 14, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. All submissions must be submitted electronically via Demandstar. All proposals will be publicly opened

A virtual Public Opening will occur at 12:00 p.m. on February 14, 2023.

Call-In#: 1 313-462-2305

Conference ID: 675 454 466# https://tinyurl.com/yy6v2bvf

All bids must be accompanied by a sworn and notarized statement disclosing any familial relationship that exists between the submitting company and any employee of DPSCD. DPSCD shall not accept a bid that does not include this sworn and notarized disclosure statement. A bid bond per the specifications detailed within the bid package is also required.

If you have questions, please contact the Procurement Department at (313) 873-6531.

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Property Is Power! What You Need to Know About VA Loans

In the early years of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program, only active-duty service members and returning vets were eligible for a VA loan. But now, the VA has extended the program to include service members of the National Guard and the Army Reserve, surviving spouses, and some cadets.

The VA program was meant to foster homeownership but has failed due to the dissemination of misleading and incorrect information.

The myths and misconceptions surrounding veterans eligibility for the program after receiving their first VA loan don’t seem to go away, causing some veterans to miss out on the opportunity to become homeowners. The passing of outdated information from past beneficiaries is another concerning issue. This article seeks to equip you with the latest guidelines from VA regarding your eligibility and options regarding the VA loan program.

What is the Maximum Number of VA Loans You Can Have?

The VA program is structured to take care of eligible candidates for life. That is why there are no maximum or minimum limits on the number of times a veteran can use the program. It is possible to have more than one VA loan at a time. The Department of Veterans Affairs is not the lender. Banks, Mortgage companies and other financial institutions provide the loans for which the department acts as a guarantor.

Taking Over a VA Loan

A veteran can transfer a VA loan to another person as long as the lender allows it. Taking over another VA loan is known as a loan assumption. The lender must first determine whether the other person meets their VA loan requirements before proceeding with the assumption process. The most significant advantage of the loan assumption is that not only veterans and active service members can assume the loan, but also anyone deemed qualified by the lender. Note, not all Lenders allow loan assumptions. Therefore, if in such a situation, you should consider transferring the mortgage to the qualifying person while consulting with the lender.

VA Loan Entitlement

Every VA member who has met the service requirements has a VA loan entitlement. The VA loan entitlement is the specific amount the Department of Veterans Affairs would have to repay a lender if a VA member defaults on their loan. This kind of protection is called the VA loan guarantee. Depending on their eligibility, veterans may access a single level or both levels of entitlement. levels include the basic and secondary tiers. For the basic level, VA members have a $36,000 entitlement and an additional $125,800 for those who qualify for the second tier. Altogether, a veteran could have an entitlement of $161,800.

Keeping Your Home and Getting a New One

The second-tier entitlement allows you to maintain your current

See VA LOANS page A6