Terrell Williams, the labor relations manager for LiUNA Local 1029, which represents the Crisis Intervention Services staff, shared this Opinion piece with the Daily State News in early September. The commentary led to the story in today’s edition.
Delaware’s social safety net is under siege — not just from federal indifference but from negligence within our own state government. The Meyer administration has failed to uphold its responsibility to support lifesaving mental health infrastructure.
As a result, Delaware’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — our front-line defense against suicide and psychological emergencies — remains chronically understaffed. Calls go unanswered, and overtime wages remain unpaid.
This inaction is not due to a lack of funding. Delaware’s 988 hotline is supported by a dedicated monetary source — a surcharge on every resident’s cellphone bill — specifically established to maintain and staff this critical service. Yet, despite this earmarked funding, bureaucratic red tape and administrative penny-pinching have left the Crisis Intervention Services unit in New Castle County operating at dangerously low capacity.
Recently, the situation has reached a danger point. Staff shortages have become the norm, not the exception. Phone lines are left unattended during key hours, when vulnerable Delawareans need them most. The Meyer administration’s refusal to negotiate fairly with state labor unions or consider hazard pay for crisis responders has further eroded morale and staffing.
The impact is measurable and devastating. Suicides across Delaware are on the rise. Families, schools, first responders and veterans who rely on the 988 hotline for urgent help are increasingly met with silence. A review of unanswered calls and voicemail messages paints a grim picture: Delawareans in crisis are being left without support in their most desperate moments.
The New Castle County crisis unit is supposed to operate with 22 trained professionals across three shifts:
Currently, these levels are not being met. The result? Delays, unanswered calls and missed opportunities to prevent tragedy.
This is not just a policy failure; it is a moral one. Delaware has the resources. What we lack is leadership. The Meyer administration must be held accountable for the erosion of vital mental health services. Lives are on the line, and silence is no longer an option.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
