BATON ROUGE – Concerns about rising mental health issues have led the Louisiana Department of Health to seek to reallocate $6.5 million to expand its crisis response system.

The department wants to use the extra money to help fund a new statewide hub that supports the Louisiana Crisis Response System.

Health officials discussed the request during a House Appropriations Committee meeting this week.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 838,000 adults in Louisiana had a mental health condition as of March 2025. That is three times the size of Baton Rouge’s population.

Around 74,000 Louisiana teens experience a major depressive episode, and 49,000 teens in the state have serious thoughts of suicide.

But more than 3 million people in Louisiana live in communities without enough mental health professionals.

“And today, it’s quite spotty,” said Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein.

“There are gaps in between modalities of care, and this is the beginning of using crisis to help be the overarching modality of care, so there are no open spots,” he said, referring to the hub.

Dr. Holly Howat, who is the interim assistant secretary for the Office of Behavioral Health, said there are “still, unfortunately, some regions of our state that do not have mobile crisis units either for children or adults.”

The health department ensured that the 988 Helpline connects with the new statewide crisis hub. Officials said the hub will allow for greater coverage of all aspects of the crisis response system across the state.

“We want to make sure it’s robust and it’s effective,” Howat said.

Howat added that one of the benefits of the crisis hub will be to reduce emergency department utilization and give people access to the right care at the right time.

Some of the lawmakers expressed concern about the effectiveness of the 988 Helpline.

Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, addressed the unlikelihood of students in need of emotional assistance calling the number.

“I think we’re going to have to be very innovative in how we reach and provide access for those individuals to feel comfortable,” McFarland said.

There are also concerns with students’ awareness of the resources and the extent to which sources will go to help them.

Rep. Delisha Boyd, D-New Orleans, filed a bill that proposes to extend to middle schools the requirements that high schools already have to display suicide prevention information on school websites and ID cards.

Rep. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge, expressed her support for the bill, adding that the law should be extended through all levels of education, starting with kindergarten.

“We think that is a really good idea about the more times people see something, they will know to be able to use that,” Howat agreed.

She added that schools should address how 988 is not just a last-resort tool but a line of support that can cover all sides of crisis, from having a bad day to serious life-threatening thoughts.

Greenstein said he is willing to give the “highest commitment” possible to work with the Louisiana Board of Regents, university boards and the Legislature to ensure that proper awareness of suicide prevention resources is available on college campuses across the state.

“We desperately want to provide as much help as possible,” Greenstein said.

Howat added that the department’s goal is to have all aspects of the crisis response system in place by the end of the year, though officials are still struggling with crafting the most effective resource.

If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health or looking for a source to talk to, call or text 988 to get in contact with accessible care. Visit Louisiana988.org for more information on ways to chat.