Iowa's 24/7 mental health line gets uptick in users

Your Life Iowa, the state's six-year-old 24/7 mental health and addiction resource , saw unprecedented usage last year.

Why it matters: It's a free, confidential program that people can call, text, email and use online if they're struggling.

Driving the news: The increase shows that a recent push to make Iowans aware of the program is working, says Behavioral Health Division Director Marissa Eyanson. Awareness has been their biggest hurdle, she tells Axios.

• The state spent around $1.6 million last year on marketing.

By the numbers: Staffers answered 47,000+ phone, text, chat and emails in FY23, a 15% increase over FY22.

• The website had 541,000+ visitors, an increase of 77% since FY22.
• By 2026, they hope 85% of Iowans will know about the resource, though Eyanson says they don't have a baseline of how many people are currently aware.

The intrigue: A new state law passed in 2023 requires school IDs to include Your Life Iowa information for 7th-12th graders — a big driver for the increase in contacts, Eyanson says.

• Over 1,300 youths who called in for mental health reasons received referrals to professionals last year.

Zoom out: In 2022, 988 became the national toll-free national suicide suicide prevention hotline. When that happened, Eyanson expected fewer people to contact Your Life Iowa.

Yes, but: Demand for both resources in Iowa ticked up last year.

• The key difference is that Your Life Iowa has had more people reach out before they're at crisis level, she says.

What's next: Currently, Iowa is undergoing public comment on the state's plans to restructure its mental health and substance abuse services.

• Your Life Iowa is participating to determine how it can improve the program.