Here's the backstory behind the numerous calls at today's budget hearing for funding a state suicide prevention hotline: Idaho's previous hotline closed at the end of 2006 for lack of funding. Since then, various locally funded hotlines around the country have volunteered to temporarily take Idaho calls; currently, Idaho calls are being answered by a locally funded community hotline in Oregon. However, they have less access to local referrals in Idaho to help callers, and funding there is becoming a problem. Meanwhile, news stats, based on 2009 data - the most recent - came out this week showing that Idaho's suicide rate has jumped up to fourth in the nation. Kathie Garrett, chair of the Idaho Council on Suicide Prevention, said, "Idaho consistently ranks in the top 10 states for our suicide rate, but the ranking of four is higher than we've experienced." Previously Idaho ranked sixth.

There's been an effort in the works to re-establish a suicide prevention hotline in Idaho, including efforts by the council, the Suicide Prevention Action Network, the Veterans Service Administration, ISU, United Way, the state Department of Health & Welfare and more. JFAC members quizzed Health & Welfare officials about the issue during budget hearings in January. Ross Edmunds, division administrator for behavioral health, told them, “The department is working closely with the Council on Suicide Prevention and United Way to create a suicide hotline in Idaho. My division has offered up some funds. I have about $50,000 in funds through our federal block grant that we've spent in the past on suicide prevention activities, a lot of that has been research and investigating evidence-based programs through a contractor. We're going to redirect that. … I'm very hopeful we'll have one relatively soon.”

Garrett said the council's goal is to raise at least two years' worth of funding "so we can be assured that a hotline would not be opened one year and closed the next." She said, "We want to be sure that when Idahoans call the hotline, the telephone is answered." Garrett said the National Guard has agreed to furnish free space to house the hotline, and the Jeret "Speedy" Petersen Foundation has offered a $10,000 donation. Mountain States Group has agreed to operate the hotline once funding is secured.