Minnesota Suicide Crisis Hotline Ending Due To Lack Of Funding

OAKDALE, MN — One of Minnesota's resources for people experiencing a mental health crisis is going away at the end of the month, thanks to lack of state funding. Oakdale-based Canvas Health released a statement Wednesday saying that as of June 30, Crisis Connection will no longer be providing its crisis hotline.

Amidst spending disagreements with Republicans, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a budget bill that would have funded the service.

Calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) have been routed to the local hotline. Starting next month, those same calls will go outside of Minnesota to people who may be unfamiliar with the state's health resources.

“Our primary concern is for the health and safety of Minnesotans who rely on Crisis Connection as a lifeline during difficult times," Canvas CEO Matt Eastwood told the Star Tribune.

Canvas said it handled 50,000 calls each year.

Other crisis resources

In addition to the national hotline, Minnesota will continue to offer 24/7 crisis services available across the state, available both by phone and in person.

If someone is having a mental health crisis, services are available by calling their county’s crisis phone number. A list of numbers can be found here.

People in the Twin Cities metro can call **CRISIS (274747) from a mobile phone. Text crisis services are also available at all times by texting MN to 741741.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services expects no interruption in gambling help line services, which is also managed by Crisis Connection. Likewise, the Department of Agriculture said it's committed to continuing the farm and rural helpline.

Minnesota's youth suicide rate is higher than the national average. In 2016, 111 Minnesotans between ages 10 and 24 died of suicide.

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