BLOOMINGTON — A recent loss in state grant funding for a Bloomington-based mental health call center will result in dozens of layoffs.

PATH Inc. (Personal Assistance Telephone Help) was not awarded a $9.5 million grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services to continue operating its 988 crisis call center at 201 E. Grove St. in Bloomington.

Over the past two years, the PATH Crisis Center has managed over 1,000 daily calls to 988 from people across the state who were experiencing mental health crises or suicidal ideations.

While the 24/7, nationwide 988 crisis line will still be accessible, and PATH will continue to offer its other services — which include homelessness assistance and a community resource database — the loss in state funds will mean big changes at the Bloomington site.

The crisis center will stop operating, and approximately 90 employees who work there will be laid off June 30, said Interim CEO and Executive Director Adam Carter. This includes attendants, trainers, quality assurance individuals and managers.

"We just didn’t make the cut this time," Carter said. "There are fantastic grants that hit the desk of reviewers, but if there’s only one award to award, they’re going to do the one that aligns closest to what their vision and what their scoring rubric is."

The grant application this time was written based on the template from the one previously submitted, with additional information regarding the center’s experiences, along with changes they were looking forward to making, Carter said. 

He added they did not receive a reason from the state for why they did not receive the grant funding.

IDHS Director of Communications Rachel Otwell said in an email that the statewide call center notice of funding opportunity system is a competitive solicitation process that is scored by multiple people as required by state law. 

Otwell said the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act requires that nearly all state grants, including this one, be competitively solicited through the process every three years. Since PATH’s grant began in fiscal year 2022, the state was required to conduct the process to award the grant for fiscal year 2025 competitively.

Centerstone, a nonprofit with locations in several states, including Illinois, was the highest-scored applicant and was awarded the grant.

Otwell said Centerstone has extensive experience in the 988 system and serves as a backup call center for the nation. It also is an established community mental health center that provides mobile crisis response services and other behavioral health supports in southern Illinois.

"We appreciate PATH’s ongoing partnership and look forward to working together on this transition," Otwell said in the email. "IDHS does not expect any disruptions to 988 services for anyone in Illinois during this transition."

Carter said PATH is committed to continuing the crisis center’s call services through June 30, and will offer support to affected employees via cover letter and resume workshops and providing references or support letters.

PATH is working with other employers in the human services field to offer employment options, and will host a 988 Job Fair at Illinois State University on May 22 in conjunction with the School of Social Work. During this event, individuals will have opportunities to interview with multiple employers in one space, Carter said.

"We’re looking on how to take care of folks who know that their position is going to end in June, and making sure that we provide them the opportunity to interact with folks who are looking for employees, and doing what we can to support them for success in that transition," Carter said.

Carter said they will be re-evaluating their space and looking at what to do with the call center and equipment, but they have to keep in mind the other services they provide related to homelessness, along with their community resource database.

"I does give us an opportunity to look and re-evaluate and simultaneously hone in and refine the work that we are doing," Carter said. "This grant was substantial and PATH was in existence before the grant, and we will continue to be in existence after, because our responsibility is to connect individuals in our community with resources."

Carter, who is a thanatologist, or specialist in death, dying, grief and loss, said that in addition to the financial loss, he and others are sad to see the relationships and structure they built at PATH change.

"It is hard, because they have poured themselves into this work, and these are individuals who could have any other job, and instead have chosen to be these helpers," Carter said. "Where I am at right now is making sure that our helpers are helped, and then I’m sure the crash will come after I know they’ve been taken care of."