Health Department Adds Additional Crisis Hotline

The State Department of Health has added a second crisis hotline to better meet the needs of those who need help or assistance in mental health cases.

DOH officials say that starting Wednesday, two different phone lines will be used, with each dedicated to meeting a specific need.

One line, called the Adult Mental Health Division Eligibility line, will work directly with individuals to determine if they are qualified for government-sponsored mental health services. The phone number for the AMHD Eligibility line is 643-AMHD (2643).

The other hotline, formerly called the ACCESS line, has been re-branded as the Crisis Line of Hawai’i. It is set up to help those who face various mental health crises and will be staffed 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, thanks to new funding that covers the equivalent of two full-time positions.

Big Island and other neighbor island residents can reach the Crisis Line of Hawai’i hotline by calling 1-800-753-6879. The fax number is (808) 453-6391.

The ACCESS line received 75,000 calls last year, according to Steven Balcom, AMHD Crisis/Residential Treatment Services Coordinator. He added that 20 percent of those calls were related to crisis intervention.

According to the DOH, one suicide is committed in Hawai’i every two days.