Heritage Behavioral Health Center's crisis hotline averages 700 calls a month

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Heritage Behavioral Health Center launched a new crisis line earlier this year.

When people call 217-217-HBHC (4242), it will immediately go to the 24/7 Crisis Call Center, connecting directly to crisis staff.

Once people connect with Crisis Call Center workers, they will be offered support and the next steps to get care based on their immediate needs, including the Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) team.

Heritage Program Manager of Crisis Services Kelly Thurston said that the MCR team responds to calls at hospitals, residences and even alongside police. She said since the team is 24/7, they can respond to all crises.

"I kept thinking, there's got to be a place out there where people can go, where people can get support day or night when they're going through a crisis of some sort. I just hated to think of people suffering alone without anyone they could call on," she said.

In April, the Mobile Crisis Response Team responded to 436 calls in person.

The crisis hotline averages 600-700 calls a month. In March 2026, the hotline took 1000 calls and 850 calls in April.

"Our job at Heritage is to make sure individuals have access to care ... We are truly here 24/7, 365," said Heritage Behavioral Center President and CEO Mary Garrison.

The call center is staffed across 15 states to make sure everyone in Macon, DeWitt and Piatt Counties is able to get an immediate connection to a crisis worker.