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Laredo suicide‑prevention committee presses for 988 funding, updates referral materials and schedules street outreach
Summary
Committee members discussed 988 staffing shortfalls, legislative outreach for local mental‑health facilities, resource-card updates, monthly corner outreach and volunteer-run support activities; the group directed staff to resend a letter requesting state support for a local mental‑health hospital/annex.
The City of Laredo Suicide Prevention Committee on Jan. 29 reviewed 988 awareness activities, discussed a reported funding shortfall for 988 operations, and agreed on a set of short‑term tasks to boost local outreach and family supports.
Committee Chair Julie Bassan (Executive Director, Area Health Education Center) said Melissa from the school districts had alerted the group to limited funding for 988 operations and urged the committee to solicit legislative help. Bassan said she will resend a previously circulated letter asking state legislators to consider additional funding and a mental‑health facility or annex in the region, and asked members to sign or forward it through their agencies and, if possible, as individuals on the committee.
The committee assigned several operational and outreach actions. Frank (surname not provided) was asked to lead drafting a protocol to assist families affected by suicide with immediate next steps and to identify what families can access (death certificates, medical examiner reports) and how. Members volunteered to update and review a QR-code resource/referral page before its public re-release to include local psychiatrists and school counseling contacts (LISD, UISD). Julie Bassan said she would circulate the QR content for rapid review.
For community outreach, the committee agreed to resume visible corner‑sign outreach to promote 988 and to make it a monthly activity. Members set an initial date: this Friday, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., at the intersection of Delmar and McPherson, with rotating volunteers and banners provided by partner agencies. Other volunteer activities described in the meeting included a community “Chihuahua’s Coffee Café” conversation series, women’s healing circles, and Relay‑for‑Life survivor events; organizers said they will incorporate the “988 — You Are Not Alone” message into promotional materials.
The committee also recommended expanding Mental Health First Aid training for members and local partners; the training was described as a six‑hour virtual or in‑person course for adults and a separate youth version. Staff will circulate sign‑up information and offer training at no cost to committee members.
Ending: The chair directed staff to resend the legislative support letter, circulate the updated QR/referral card for rapid review, and to advertise and staff a monthly corner outreach beginning this Friday; no formal votes were taken on funding or contracts.
