DIRECT CONNECTION IS MADE BY MPT TO SERVE ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS DIRECT CONNECTION WITH JEFF SALKIN.

>> GOOD EVENING, WELCOME TO YOUR DIRECT CONNECTION.

ARE YOU IN THE MARKET TO BUY, SELL OR RENT A HOME?

WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT GETTING THE MOST VALUE IN A HOT, MAYBE COOLING REAL ESTATE MARKET.

JOINING US TONIGHT, YOLANDA, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF MARYLAND REALTORS AND DIDI MILLER PAST PRESIDENT OF MARYLAND REALTORS.

THE ORGANIZATION RELEASED SOME DATA THAT SHOWED THE NUMBER OF SALES SLOWING A LITTLE BIT.

BUT YOLANDA, YOU WERE JUST TELLING ME YOU HAD HOW MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT A PROPERTY LAST WEEK?

>> WE HAD A TOTAL OF 62 PEOPLE WHO LOOKED AT A PROPERTY.

>> SO THAT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, STILL RED HOT FEEDING FRENZY REAL ESTATE MARKET, IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SEEING?

>> YES.

THE PROPERTY WAS MOVE-IN READY, SO BASICALLY MY CLIENT PUT IN BRAND NEW CARPET PRIOR TO THE PROPERTY GOING ON THE MARKET.

SHE HAD A RENOVATED KITCHEN AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS STILL A LIMITED SUPPLY OF INVENTORY, WE HAD BUYERS WHO WERE LITERALLY, IT WAS A FEEDING FRENZY.

THEY WERE RUNNING AROUND, STANDING IN LINE TO SEE THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.

AND MY CLIENT PRICED IT SO THAT SHE WOULD HAVE A FEEDING FRENZY.

INSTEAD OF PRICING IT AT THE TOP OF WHAT HAD SOLD, SHE PRICED IT TOWARDS THE LOWER END IN ORDER TO GET MULTIPLE OFFERS, SO IN THAT CASE, THERE WERE 12 OFFERS WITH 60 PLUS SHOWINGS AND AS I SAID, YOU COULD SAY COOLING BECAUSE INSTEAD OF HAVING 25 OR 30 OFFERS, SHE HAD 12.

BUT STILL ENDED UP GETTING 78,000 ABOVE WHERE SHE LISTED IT.

>> WOW.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN THE MARKET AT THIS POINT AND MAYBE THINK ABOUT THIS FROM THE BUYERS PERSPECTIVE; WHO WAS ONE OF THE 60 TO LOOK AT THIS PROPERTY AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY COULD COMPETE.

>> YEAH, WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THE THAT HAPPEN AROUND THE REGION.

WE ARE SEEING THE MARKET COOL OFF, AS YOU SAID, JUST A BIT.

PENDING UNITS ARE DOWN YEAR OVER YEAR FROM 21 TO 22 AND THE MONTH'S SUPPLY OF INVENTORY IS ABOUT 1.3 MONTH SUPPLY OF INVENTORY.

AND TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVE INVENTORY CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET AND THE AMOUNT OF MONTHS IT TAKES TO SELL OFF THE CURRENT ACTIVE INVENTORY.

IN YOLANDA'S AREA, YOU HAVE 60 PLUS BUYERS WHO ARE STILL OUT THERE LOOKING AND VERY LITTLE NEGOTIATE IN HER PARTICULAR AREA.

BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE RIGHT NOW WE ARE EXPERIENCING INVENTORY STARTING TO INCREASE LITTLE BY LITTLE.

I I AM STARTING TO SEE PROPERTIES STAY ON THE MARKET SLIGHTLY LONGER IN CERTAIN AREAS AND WE ARE SEEING PRICE REDUCTIONS START TO HAPPEN ON SOME PROPERTIES.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ON THAT.

WHEN YOLANDA SAID HER CLIENT MADE A DECISION NOT TO PUT IT AT THE HEIGHT OF THE MARKET WHERE THE LAST PROPERTY HAD JUST SOLD, HER CLIENT DECIDED TO PRICE MORE REASONABLY, AND SHE DID GET MULTIPLE OFFERS.

WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, WHEN WE ARE ANALYZING THE DATA AND LOOKING AT WHAT HOMES SHOULD BE SELLING FOR, WE ARE GOING BACK 60, 90 DAYS TO HOMES THAT WERE LISTED 90 TO 120 DAYS POSSIBLY AND COMPARING THOSE.

AND IT'S ALREADY OLD DATA AT THAT POINT.

SO WHERE THE MARKET IN SOME AREAS HAS TARTED TO COOL OFF, WE HAVE TO LOOK HYPERLOCAL WHEN WE ARE ANALYZING THE PROPERTIES AND PUTTING THEM AT THE RIGHT PRICES SO THAT WE ARE STILL GETTING BUYERS THROUGH FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND THEY'RE READY TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND MAYBE THAT PURCHASE AND I THINK IT IS LOOSENING UP FOR THE BUYERS RIGHT NOW AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND THE INTEREST RATES, OF COURSE, MOST RECENTLY WERE BACK DOWN AROUND 5%, 4.99, I BELIEVE AT THE END OF LAST WEEK.

SO THAT'S GREAT.

>> LET ME REMIND OUR VIEWERS, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT REAL ESTATE.

GIVE US A CALL.

WE WILL HAVE THE NUMBER UP ON THE SCREEN OR YOU CAN EMAIL THE QUESTION TO LIVE QUESTIONS@MPT.ORG.

HOW MUCH IS IT ABOUT MORTGAGE RATES.

I MEAN DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, THE FED WAS PUMPING MONEY.

RATES CAME WAY DOWN AND A LOT OF THINGS GOT MORE AFFORDABLE.

NOW THEY'RE DOING THE REVERSE.

5% HISTORICALLY MAY BE A NORMAL RATE BUT IT'S A LOT HIGHER THAN IT WAS 12 MONTHS AGO.

>> I WOULD SAY DEFINITELY YOU HAVE TO REMIND YOUR CLIENTS OF THE FACT THAT INTEREST RATES ARE STILL AFFORDABLE AS FAR AS YES THEY ARE HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN, BUT YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT DOUBLE DIGIT INTEREST RATES.

I UNFORTUNATELY HAVE HAD CLIENTS WHO ARE STILL IN THE POSITION TO BUY HOMES.

THEY HAVE THE DOWN PAYMENT TO BE ABLE TO TO PURCHASE.

I RECENTLY HAD A PROPERTY A CLIENT PURCHASED IN OWENS MILLS, ONE OF MY BUYERS, HONESTLY, SHE WAS HAPPY THAT THE FACT THAT THE PARTICULAR SELLER PRICED THE PROPERTY LOWER THAN WHAT THE OTHER ONES SOLD FOR AND SHE OFFERED MORE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY AND STILL APPRAISED $5,000 THAN WHAT SHE PURCHASED IT FOR AND SHE WAS A BUYER WHO WAS ECSTATIC AND GLAD SHE COULD COMPETE AND GET THE PROPERTY SHE WANTED.

>> I WAS GOING TO ADD FOR THE INTEREST RATE HISTORICALLY LOOKING AT THAT.

INTEREST RATES WERE LOW DURING THE COVID PERIOD BUT PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD LOWER INTEREST RATES.

AND SOMEWHERE, PROBABLY MID TO LATE 2018, THERE WAS A JUMP IN THE INTEREST RATE AND IT HAD A DIP IN THE MARKET AT THAT POINT.

AND THEN THEY CONTINUED TO STAY LOW, OF COURSE WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED AND JUST MORE WEENTLY, HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, 7% IS THE AVERAGE OF ALL THE INTEREST RATES FROM THE POINT WHERE THEY STARTED CALCULATING AND KEEPING TRACK OF TRAITSD SO TO BE AT 4.99 IN THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST AND STICKING THERE EVEN THOUGH WE HAD SOME HIGHER RATES RECENTLY, HISTORICALLY THAT'S PHENOMENAL WHERE THOSE RATES ARE.

>> HOW DO THINGS STAND WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE FINANCING EQUATION?

WHAT CREDIT SCORES PEOPLE NEED TO QUALIFY?

HOW MUCH OF A DOWN PAYMENT THEY NEED TO HAVE ON HAND.

WOULD YOU SAY THE FINANCING ENVIRONMENT THESE DAYS IS RELATIVELY TIGHT OR RELATIVELY LOOSE OR IN THE MIDDLE?

>> I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW IT'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE CERTAINLY AFTER THE FIRST CRISIS OF THE MORTGAGE CRISIS IN 2008, WHICH WE ARE NOT, BY THE WAY, IN THAT TYPE OF SITUATION WITH THIS GO ROUND WITH THE MARKETS SLOWING A TAD THE MORNING COMPANIES SCRUT LIES A LITTLE MORE THAN THEY USED TO AND THAT'S OKAY.

I WOULD DRAW ANY FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS WHO ARE LISTENING TO US NOW AND HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE WONDERFUL PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND WITH OUR MAIL-IN MORTGAGE PROGRAM AND THESE ARE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP IN MAKING A PURCHASE.

>> HOW ABOUT APPRAISALS IF SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO GET LOOKING TO LINE UP A BIG MORTGAGE, IS IT COMING IN WHERE THEY WANT IT?

>> I WOULD SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PROPERTY I HAD MENTIONED, THAT PARTICULAR BUYER DID AN APPRAISAL GAP IN CASE IT DIDN'T APPRAISE.

FORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T HAVE AN APPRAISAL PROBLEM.

SO WITH LOOKING AT COMPARABLES AND SEEING WHAT SOMETHING HAS SOLD FOR, THAT'S WITH AN APPRAISAL.

TYPICALLY I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY BUYING PROPERTIES BASED ON WHAT THINGS HAVE TOLD FOR.

SO FORTUNATELY I CAN'T SAY AT ALL I HAVE HAD ANY APPRAISAL ISSUES ON PROPERTIES THAT WERE PRICED CORRECTLY.

I MEAN OF COURSE SELLERS ALWAYS THINK THAT THEIR HOUSE IS WORTH MORE THAN IT PROBABLY IS WORTH, SO IF SOMEONE IS PRICING A HOME BASED ON WHAT THEY WANT AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT SOMETHING IS SOLD FOR, THEY MAY HAVE AN ISSUE FUFERL, A NUMBER OF THE BUYERS I'VE HAD ALONG WERE WILLING TO DO APPRAISAL GAPS.

>> QUICK QUESTION FROM EITHER OF YOU.

A VIEWER WANTS TO KNOW IF MARYLAND HOME INVENTORY IS INCREASING, MEANING THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES LISTED FOR SALE?

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

>> NOT AT THIS TIME.

STATISTICALLY RIGHT NOW WE ARE STILL DOWN THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE INVENTORY AND 2021 WE WERE JUST OVER 13,000 ACTIVE INVENTORY FOR SALE AND CURRENTLY WE ARE AT 10,3341.

WE STILL NEED MORE INVENTORY.

SOME OF THAT, JEFF, HOPEFULLY, IF WE CAN HAVE SOME GOOD FRIENDLY LEGISLATION IN THE COMING YEARS THAT WOULD HELP US POTENTIALLY GET SOME OF THESE AUXILLARY DWELLING UNITS... >> WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

DIDI MILLER, MARYLAND REALTORS.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> NOW IS MPT'S HVCU WEEK APPROACHES, WE ARE JOINED BY THE PRESIDENT OF MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

Mr. WILSON, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> AS ALWAYS, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT.

>> A LOT OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT, BUT IT CAN ALL BE SUMMED UP, I UNDERSTAND IN THE PHRASE MORGAN MOMENTUM.

WHAT IS THAT?

MOMO, MORGAN MOMENTUM.

WE ARE IN AN IMMENSE PERIOD OF TRANSFORMATION HERE AT MORGAN.

AND THAT IS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT CIRCLES SO TO SPEAK.

FIRST OF ALL, WITH REGARD TO THE GROWTH OF THE INSTITUTION ENROLLMENT WISE, WE NOW ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 9,000 STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY WE HAVE NEVER HAD THAT MANY STUDENTS IN THE 155-YEAR HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTION.

FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, OUR FRESHMAN CLASS HAS BEEN HISTORIC IN TERMS OF ENROLLMENT.

WE ENROLLED NEARLY 2500 NEW FRESHMEN LAST YEAR, WE EXPECT TO BE IN THE SAME RANGE THIS YEAR AND THAT WAS ABOUT A 60% INCREASE OVER THE NUMBER OF FRESHMEN THAT WE TYPICALLY ENROLL AT THE UNIVERSITY EACH YEAR.

AND SO WE ARE VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON MORGAN.

THE 2300 WE ARE EXPECTING THIS YEAR AS FRESHMAN, MORE OF THEM WILL BE OUT OF STATE THAN INSTATE.

55% OF THEM ARE OUT OF STATE, WHO ARE COMING TO MORGAN, REPRESENTING 38 STATES IN ABOUT 70 COUNTRIES.

AND SO THE MORGAN NAME IS STRETCHING ALL OVER THE NATION AND INDEED ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WE ALSO ARE GOING THROUGH A PERIOD WHERE WE HAVE TO CONSTLUCT ON THIS CAMPUS-- CONSTRUCT ON THIS CAMPUS NEW RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES BECAUSE THE LAST RESIDENTIAL HALL THAT WE BUILT HERE WAS 35 YEARS AGO.

AND SO WITH THIS GROWING DESIRE TO BE A PART OF THE MORGAN EXPERIENCE, IS ALSO COMING A DESIRE TO LIVE ON CAMPUS ON THE PART OF STUDENTS.

SO JEFF, WE ARE VERY PLEASED WE OPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND A 670-BED RESIDENTIAL FACILITY, THURGOOD MARSHAL HALL NAMED AFTER NOTED SUPREME COURT JUSTICE THURGOOD MARSHAL, AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD NOW TO BUILD ANOTHER 600 PLUS BED UNIT THAT WILL OPEN IN THE FALL OF 2024.

>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.

>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, PROFESSOR LARRY GIBSON WHO IS OF COURSE NOTED PROFESSOR OF LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, HE IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY CURATED ALL OF THE EXHIBITS IN THE BUILDING FOR US.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND PROFESSOR GIBSON, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU PRESENT AN IDEA IN FRONT OF HIM, HAVE YOU TO GET BACK AND LET HIM DO WITH THE IDEA WHAT ONLY PROFESSOR GIBSON CAN DO WITH IT.

SO HE DESCRIBES THURGOOD MARSHAL HALL AS A MUSEUM THAT IS MASK RATE MASQUERADING AS A RESIDENTIAL HALL.

I CAN'T DISAGREE WITH HIM.

I HAD A TOUR OF THE BUILDING AND I'LL TELL YOU, MY TEAM, THEY HAD TO ALMOST PUT ME OUT OF THE BUILDING I WAS JUST SO FASCINATED WITH THE WAY THE HISTORY OF THURGOOD MARSHAL IS PORTRAYED IN THE BUILDING ON ONE HAND AND THEN THE INCREDIBLE RELAXING VISTAS ON THE OTHER BECAUSE IT IS A 10-STORY BUILDING AND ON EACH OF THOSE FLOORS, WE HAVE FLOOR TO CEILING WINDOWS WHERE STUDENTS CAN LOOK OUT FOR MILES.

>> WHEN YOU TALK TO ALL THOSE NEW STUDENTS, THEIR PARENTS, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE COMING FROM FAR AWAY TO ATTEND MORGUAGE-- MORGAN, WHAT ARE YOU HEAR FROM THEM.

THERE IS ENTHUSIASM AMONG NEW STUDENTS, OF COURSE.

WHAT IS DRAWING THEM TO N.H.B.C.U.

AND YOUR H.B.C.U.

IN PARTICULAR.

>> THERE ARE NUMEROUS REASONS WHY.

MORGAN IS RIGHT THERE AMONGST THE TOP TWO OR THREE HBCUs IN THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF WHERE STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN GOING POST HIGH SCHOOL.

NUMBER ONE IS THAT THEY WANT TO GO TO AN INSTITUTION WHERE ACADEMICALLY THEY'RE GOING TO GET AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO BE FULLY PREPARED FOR WHAT'S NEXT, TO BE FULLY PREPARED FOR THE WORK OF THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF WORK.

AND THEY LOOK AT MORGAN AND THEY SEE WHERE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH CURRICULA REALIGNMENT HERE.

IN MANY INSTANCES, WE ARE THE ONLY INSTITUTION IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, ONE OF THE THE ONLY UNIVERSITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO BE OFFERING CERTAIN TYPES OF DEGREES, B.S.

DEGREE IN MECCA ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING AND COASTAL SCIENCE AND POLICY AND CLOUD COMPUTING AND ADVANCED COMPUTING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SO THEY SEE THAT IT'S VERY, VERY ATTRACTIVE ON THE ONE HAND.

SECOND, STUDENTS DO THEIR HOME WORK ON WHO IS GOING TO BE TEACHING THEM.

AND THEY SEE AT MORGAN WE HAVE-- I ARGUE-- AMONGST THE MOST DIVERSE FACULTY IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.

ABOUT 42% OF OUR FACULTY IS AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

ABOUT 20% WHITE, 10% INTERNATIONAL AND SO WE HAVE PERSPECTIVES ON OUR PERSPECTIVE ON OUR FACULTY FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THE STUDENTS APPRECIATE THAT.

NUMBER THREE, THEY WANT TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY NEVER HAVE TO QUESTION ANY DAY WHETHER THEY BELONG ON THAT CAMPUS.

AND WE LIKE TO SAY TO OUR STUDENTS... MORGAN IS YOUR HOME.

IT'S NOT AN APARTMENT WHERE YOU RENT IT FOR A WHILE.

IT'S YOUR HOME.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THAT'S THE WAY STUDENTS WANT TO BE TREATED.

>> Dr. WILSON, MORGAN HAS BEEN YOUR HOME FOR 12 YEARS NOW AS PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTION.

IT LOOKS A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT THAN IT DID WHEN YOU ARRIVED.

GIVE US JUST A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF MORGAN.

>> THE FUTURE OF MORGAN IS QUITE PROMISING, IF YOU WILL.

I HAVE BEEN HERE OVER 12 YEARS AND WHEN I ARRIVED, JUST RESEARCH WISE, MORGAN WAS A MODERATE RESEARCH INSTITUTION.

AND OUR DESIRE WHEN I CAME IN, WAS TO MOVE TO THE NEXT FLOOR OF THE RESEARCH HOUSE WHICH WAS A HIGH RESEARCH INSTITUTION.

SO JEFF, WE ACHIEVED THAT IN 2018.

WE ALSO LOOKED AT HOW OUR STUDENTS WERE PERFORMING IN TERMS OF GRADUATION RATES, RETENTION RATES AND INTERNSHIPS AND WE WANTED TO IMPROVE THAT DRASTICALLY, AND WE HAVE AND AS A RESULT, WE HAVE WON THREE NATIONAL AWARDS IN TERMS OF INSTITUTIONAL OUTCOMES.

FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A VERY THOUGHTFUL, SHARED VISION FOR THE INSTITUTION.

TRANSFORMATION MORGAN 2030 LEADING THE FUTURE.

AND THERE WE ARE AIMING TO BE THE FIRST, IF NOT AMONGST THE FIRST HBCUs IN THE COUNTRY TO GO FROM HIGH RESEARCH IN THE COUNTRY TO VERY HIGH RESEARCH UNIVERSITY.

>> THANKS TO 2022, HBCU WEEK BEGINS SEPTEMBER 5 ON MPT 679 AND JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT YOUR HEALTH THIS WEEK, Dr. STEPHANIE NYE, CHIEF OF PSYCHIATRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER MIDTOWN CAMPUS AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

DOCTOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THERE IS A NEW NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS HOT LINE, THE NEW 988 NUMBER THAT MARYLAND IS NOW A PART OF.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE HOT LINES LIKE THAT?

>> HOT LINES LIKE THE NEW 988 NUMBER ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS A PRIMARY RESOURCE TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE HELP THAT THEY SO DESPERATELY DESIRE AND NEED.

SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO BE WITH YOU THIS EVENING IN ORDER TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW 988 NATIONAL LIFELINE.

>> AND, OF COURSE, THE OBVIOUS BENEFIT OF THE NEW NUMBER IS THAT IT'S SHORTER.

MAYBE PEOPLE CAN REMEMBER IT BUT IT WILL FIT NICELY ON SIGNS AND BE EASILY PUBLICIZED.

>> IT WILL.

AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES OF THIS NEW EFFORT, THE 988 BEING SO MUCH EASIER TO REMEMBER THAN THE PREVIOUS NUMBERS.

I THINK IT TOOK ME SEVERAL MONTHS IF NOT LONGER TO REMEMBER THE PREVIOUS NATIONAL SUICIDE LIFELINE.

THAT NUMBER REMAINS IN EXISTENCE AND WILL STILL BE OPERATIONAL.

BUT HAVING SOMETHING AS EASY AS THREE DIGITS 988, BEING THE ONLY THING THAT YOU NEED TO CALL IN ORDER TO BE CONNECTED WITH A LOCAL CRISIS CENTER COUNSELOR, IS REALLY AS SIMPLE AS IT GETS.

AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN THAT LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS IS REALLY HIGH, WHATEVER THE OUTREACH IS HAS TO BE REALLY SIMPLE AND EASY TO REMEMBER OR ELSE THEY MAY NOT REMEMBER WHAT NUMBER TO CALL.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS IN THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN RUNNING PRETTY HIGH LATELY.

I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A NUMBER THAT THERE IS A DEATH BY SUICIDE IN THE UNITED STATES EVERY 11 MINUTES.

I MEAN THE PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SERIOUS PROBLEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND WE ALL OPERATE WITH A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COPING SKILL AND KIND OF EMOTIONAL RESERVE AND THE PANDEMIC AND ALL OF THE STRESSES ASSOCIATED WITH IT REALLY HAVE LEFT MANY OF US JUST TAPPED OUT WITH NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE THAN FEELING THOSE EMOTIONS.

AND THAT CAN BE OVERWHELMING VERY QUICKLY.

SO HAVING THESE KINDS OF RESOURCES IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE'S WELL-BEING AND FOR THEIR LIVES.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK OF THE HOT LINE AS MAYBE BEING THE LAST RESORT.

BUT MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY.

I MEAN IT'S JUST AN ENTRY POINT INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM.

>> IT IS, AND IT CAN SERVE A VARIETY OF PURPOSES, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PERSON ACTUALLY NEEDS.

WHEN SOMEONE CALLS IN, THEY WILL BE CONNECTED TO ONE OF OUR LOCAL CRISIS CENTERS WHERE THERE IS A TRAINED COUNSELOR WHO WILL LISTEN TO THEM, WHO WILL MAYBE ASK SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, WHO WILL CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE PERSON WAS INTERESTED IN; REALLY, WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO GET THEM ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND TO HELP RELIEVE SOME OF THE DISTRESS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING.

>> HATS OFF TO THE PEOPLE STAFFING THE HOT LINE.

ALL SORTS OF HOT LINES.

AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE WHEN THE PHONE RINGS.

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE PICKING UP THE PHONE, WHO ARE ANSWERING THE CALLS WHEN WE DIAL 988, THE PEOPLE IN THOSE CALL CENTERS ARE TRAINED.

THEY'RE CRISIS COUNSELORS.

AND THEY'RE EXCELLENT LISTENERS.

AND DON'T WE ALL NEED SOMEONE LIKE THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

SO BEING ABLE TO CALL 988 AND GET CONNECTED WITH RESOURCES, FOR SOME PEOPLE, THAT'S ALL THEY'LL NEED IS THAT PHONE CALL.

THIS PRACTICE WILL SEE YOU IF YOUR INSURANCE THIS PRACTICE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO YOU VIA BUS ROUTE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE LOGISTICS OF GETTING INTO CARE HOPEFULLY CAN BE QUESTIONS THAT ARE STREAMLINED WITH ANSWERS TO MAKE IT REALLY EASY FOR PEOPLE TO GET HELP.

>> THERE WAS SOME SOCIAL MEDIA TRAFFIC ON THE SUBJECT OF THE HOT LINE, RAISING A CONCERN THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT CALL IT AND SORT OF BE SUCKED INTO AN UNVOLUNTARY HOSPITAL STAY, INVOLVEMENT OF POLICE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THERE IS PLENTY OF BAD ADVICE FLOATING AROUND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

BUT HOW CAN THE PEOPLE WORKING AT THE HOT LINE MAYBE REASSURE SOMEBODY WHO CALLS IN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET WHAT THEY NEED AND NOT SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

>> SO SAFETY AND SUPPORT ARE REALLY THE PRIMARY GOALS OF PROGRAMS LIKE 988 LIFELINES.

AND SO THE CRISIS COUNSELOR WHO IS ANSWERING THE PHONE MAY ASK SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.

ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE SOMEONE'S SAFETY AND GET THEM ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

IF THAT MEANS CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES BECAUSE THE SITUATION IS MORE DIRE THANE GENERALLY ANTICIPATED OR HAD ASSUMED, THEN THAT IS A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE PROCESS.

BUT, PART OF THE TRAINING FOR THE CRISIS COUNSELORS AND FOR THESE CALL CENTERS IS THE IDEA THAT WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS INVOLVED IF WE DON'T HAVE TO.

THAT'S BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM OVER MANY, MANY YEARS.

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS NOT THE BEST PERSON TO RESPOND WHEN SOMEONE IS HAVING AN EMOTIONAL EMERGENCY.

YOU NEED A PEER, YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED EXPERIENCE, YOU NEED SOMEONE WITH SPECIALTY CRISIS COUNSELING SORTS OF TRAINING.

AND THERE IS MANY OTHER KINDS OF PROVIDERS THAT COULD RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO ENSURE SOMEBODY'S SAFETY.

WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO LEAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OUT OF IT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU TO END THE CONVERSATION BY OFFERING SOME ADVICE ON WHAT PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY MAY NEED THIS AT SOME POINT, OR THEY HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO MAY NEED IT.

WHEN DO YOU CALL 988?

WHEN DO YOU CALL 911?

OR THERE IS ANOTHER STAWNS LINE CALLED ASSISTANCE LINE IN MARYLAND CALL 211?

>> THERE IS THE 988 AS YOU SAID.

THERE IS THE 1-800-237-TALK NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE AND THERE IS THE 211 PLUS 1.

IF THERE IS A QUESTION OF SAFETY, IF SOMEONE'S LIFE IS IN DANGER BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING OR THE CONCERNS THAT FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED, WHEN IN DOUBTS, 911 IS THE ROUTE TO GO.

IF SOMEONE'S LIFE IS AT RISK.

IF SOMEONE IS NOT AT THAT POINT YET WHERE THEY'RE EMOTIONALLY DISTRESSED AND THEY'RE REALLY FEELING THEIR EMOTIONS AND THEY NEED HELP, BUT THEY ARE NOT A DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR OTHER PEOPLE IN THAT MOMENT, THEN 988 IS A VERY APPROPRIATE NUMBER TO CALL OR THE 800 NUMBER.

211, I THINK EVENTUALLY WILL BE LESS EMPHASIZED AS WE PUT MORE CONCENTRATION ON THE 988 LIFELINE.

AND SO AS LONG AS THEIR LIFE IS NOT AT RISK IN THAT MOMENT, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE, BUT IF THERE IS A QUESTION, 911 SHOULD BE THE WAY TO GO.

>> STEPHANIE KNIGHT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER MIDTOWN.

Dr. KNIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THAT IS DIRECT CONNECTION FOR THIS WEEK.

WE ARE BACK FRIDAY WITH STATE CIRCLE AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS.

NOW FOR ALL OF US THAT MPT, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.