The three-digit 988 suicide intervention phone number launched in mid-July received more than 1,400 calls in its first month in service. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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A former employee at the state’s child welfare agency tells lawmakers about the difficult work environment inside DCFS. Jeff Palermo has more…
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In the first month that the three-digit 988 National Suicide Hotline was launched the crisis number received more than 1,400 calls in Louisiana. And Dr. Robyn Thomas, Suicide Prevention Coordinator with the department of health says the response rate for answering local calls increased significantly.
Cut 3 (11) “…connected to services.”
She says the state was also recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for its response rate. Thomas says when you call 988 from anywhere in the state you are routed to one of the state’s two certified crisis centers. One in Bossier City which answers calls in north, central, and southwest Louisiana, or the call center in New Orleans which covers southeast Louisiana.
Next for the crisis hotline is to add even more counselors. Thomas says it’s important to keep those certified counselors local because they understand the state’s culture and unique stressful events for example hurricanes.
Thomas says they are also adding training for counselors to address marginalized populations and also ramp up awareness and promotion of the 988 crisis line.
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The State Fire Marshall’s Office is sounding an alarm about the use of oxygen tanks anywhere near anything flammable. This comes after a 32-year-old woman who used an oxygen tank was the victim of a deadly house fire in St. Martinville over the weekend. Officials found her body in a wheelchair near the front door of the home. She was known to smoke cigarettes. Ashley Rodrigue is the spokesperson for the State Fire Marshall.
Rodrigue says oxygen tanks should be kept at least five feet away from anything flammable, not just cigarettes.
Rodrigue says candles, matches, stoves, aerosol sprays, and even sparking toys can cause fires when near oxygen tanks—plus kitchen grease and any kind of oils.
Cut 8 (11) “…ignitable liquids.”
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A former caseworker at the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services calls the environment within the state agency toxic. Stacey McPherson left her job as a Rapides foster care worker in July because her supervisors failed to address their repeated complaints…
McPherson testified in front of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee who plans to hold future meetings to look at how they can improve the agency. She says her foster kids were her life and gave them precedent over her own children, but didn’t have management’s support…
McPherson says when she would bring her concerns to her supervisors, she would face retaliation….
McPherson says salary is not the reason why she left and she says five veteran foster care workers have left the Alexandria office in the last five weeks, it was the toxicity of the work environment.
The legislative committee plans to hold more meetings to look at how the work environment at DCFS can be fixed.
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ASAP, the Louisiana-based delivery app formerly known as Waitr, is announcing a new NIL deal for all student-athletes at LSU—not just football players. ASAP’s Kevin Burke every player who accepts the deal will promote the app on their social media accounts.
Burke says the arrangement with ASAP will be offered first to athletes in fall sports—including football, women’s soccer, and even cheerleaders, and then phased in to other sports as the athletic seasons progress.
ASAP began in Lake Charles, and Burke says the company is proud to expand its partnership with LSU.
Burke declined to share how much money the students might make from the arrangement. But he says it gives fans the chance to help them earn more.
Cut 14 (10) “…student athletes.”
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