Lexington, KY – August 1, 2024
New Vista saw a 38 percent increase in local calls to 988 in the second year since its launch. This amounts to more than 5,000 calls by Central Kentuckians to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline between July 2023 and July 2024. In response to the growing need, the nonprofit has now added eight volunteers with plans to continue to expand the program. Each volunteer undergoes extensive training and receives round-the-clock support from New Vista employees.
New Vista attributes the continued increase in calls to growing awareness around 988 and its 24/7 availability. Volunteers help to deescalate a crisis and connect callers to follow-up resources, like therapy, psychiatry and substance use treatment. All New Vista volunteers and crisis counselors share a common goal of wanting to let people know they are not alone.
“To be able to make [callers] feel safe and start a conversation is probably some of the most important work we do when we first take a call,” said David Hafley, a New Vista 988 Volunteer who started taking calls in late 2023. Hafley has dedicated much of his life to supporting other survivors of suicide and those struggling with mental health after he lost his son Tom to suicide in 2015. “That has had ripples throughout our lives and the lives of hundreds of people,” he said, “in ways that were unimaginable at the time, but are real to this day.”
While Hafley acknowledges this kind of volunteer work can be difficult, he said it can also be extremely gratifying. “The best feeling I can have is after a discussion when someone says, “I feel better. I feel better and I’m glad we could talk,” Hafley said. “I’m not sure, in this world, if it can get much better than that.”
New Vista is accepting applications for new volunteers who are Kentucky residents, 18 years or older and have a high school diploma or GED. All volunteers receive 40-plus hours of training and may qualify for college credit. Visit newvista.org/bethelifeline for more information.
Media Contact: Katie Ghiardi, PR Coordinator, 859.475.7028, [email protected]
