{"id":156413,"date":"2022-03-14T09:59:52","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T19:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=156413"},"modified":"2022-03-14T10:26:14","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T20:26:14","slug":"uh-impact-hawaii-cares-call-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2022\/03\/14\/uh-impact-hawaii-cares-call-center\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> helps crisis call center respond to 130,000+ during pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Photo courtesy: Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Department of Health<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa Center on Aging<\/a> in the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health<\/a> played a significant role in supporting the tens of thousands of residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. <\/p>\n

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> CARES<\/abbr><\/a> (Coordinated Access Resource Entry System), a free 24\/7 call center that connects individuals to mental health crisis resources and substance use disorder treatment and recovery services, enhanced its coordination efforts to respond to thousands of requests from residents, including aid with isolation and quarantine, testing, food assistance, social services and more. <\/p>\n

Our staff have served as the comfort and safety net for our community to call during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic
—Leocadia Conlon<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Through a partnership with the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Department of Health (DOH<\/abbr>) Behavioral Health Administration that began in 2019, the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Manoa and the Research Cooperation of UH<\/abbr><\/a> (RCUH<\/abbr>) ramped up staffing to respond to the surge in call volume in August 2020. The increase in UH<\/abbr> staffing enabled the call center to respond to more than 130,000 calls in 2020, a 50% uptick in call volume since 2019, resulting from economic, social and psychological stressors of the pandemic. The call volume in 2020 was the highest the call center had received since 2015.<\/p>\n

At its peak, UH<\/abbr> provided a workforce of 50 staff, more than 15 student employees in health and social disciplines, and hired clinical director Leocadia Conlon<\/strong> to coordinate an integrated call center aligned with national guidelines and develop vital partnerships with community and healthcare organizations.<\/p>\n

“Our staff have served as the comfort and safety net for our community to call during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic that magnified behavioral health concerns,” said Conlon. “The call volume demonstrates the need in our community, and our staff have been there to respond by taking on these additional duties.”<\/p>\n

Achievements<\/h2>\n

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