Make the Call: Free 24/7 Behavioral Wellness Access Line Workers helps a community in crisis

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — Sharon isn’t just a voice on a phone. For many, she’s their lifeline.

“You never know what you're going to get. There can be a crisis. There can be a suicidal person calling. There can be a family member who's having a loved one, having a mental health crisis. There can be someone just calling because they're on probation and they were referred to go to substance use treatment program. There could be someone calling saying, 'I just want to get a therapist. I'm feeling a little, you know, like I need to talk to someone,'” said Sharon, who works as an Access Line Screener.

It’s a job that requires the perfect balance of compassion and tough skin.

For the safety of the workers, we won’t be sharing their last names.

“It's often the county serves the most underserved people in the community you're talking to people who have have had rough times, who are at often times their lowest, people struggling with housing issues or mental health is so severe that it's impacting their ability to function on a daily basis,” said Crisis Service Manager, Connor Pearce.

The 10 access line workers field approximately 50-80 calls per day — everything from mental health crisis calls to substance use issues.

Iri says she has seen it all, but she says the heart of her mission is to help people help themselves.

“Every single person experiences pain, but suffering, that's something that you can do something about. If we are to provide everything for you and do more work than needed, then you're not going to be able to develop the skills to take care of yourself, to go forward, to be free. And I think it could be really disempowering. And I think part of our job is to empower people to really, you know, give them the tools and give them, you know, the hope and something to hold on to,” said Iri.

The Access Line workers aren’t just lending an ear. They’re connecting people to lifesaving resources.

“There’s also a big push to integrate the substance use and mental health. So any one of these things that's happening, we can sort of triage and figure out how to help the human in front of us and not just one piece of it,” said Pearce.

When it comes to substance abuse sometimes it helps to have a friend who’s been there before.

Anthony overcame his alcohol addiction after losing everything. Now, he’s helping others do the same.

“I know how hard it is to not feel understood by others, because that's a battle that, you know, sometimes it's internal,” said Anthony.

Access Line Supervisor, Margie Hunt, says she’s extremely proud of her team.

“We get told that all the time that if I hadn't called, I might not be here today, which is, you know, so that's a heavy thing to hear. We are there at a very crucial time in a lot of people's lives. You know, they're at this crossroads where they're making a decision, 'do I live or do I not live?' And we can give them that hope that there's a reason to live. We can help them find that within themselves. Why do they want to live? Why do they have a reason? And is that reason? What their why?” said Hunt.

“They may not know someone's story. So sharing. Sharing your story and why you're calling is a part of that call. But they will know what to do to help and they'll know how to do that quickly and professionally and empathetically,” said Behavioral Wellness Spokeswoman, Suzanne Grimmessey.

One phone call serves as a gateway for better things to come.

“It's really necessary to get help because just having someone to talk to can make a world of difference. Just having someone to support you and to feel like you're not alone. There's someone else who is supporting you,” said Access Line Screener Diana.

You can reach the free 24/7 access line at 888-868-1649.

Services are available in both English and Spanish.