The History of the BRCIC

From Student Organization to Nationally-Recognized Crisis Services Innovator

The 1970’s: The Beginnings

The Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center (BRCIC) began on the campus of LSU in 1970. During the 1969-1970 academic year there were 6 student suicides on campus. As a response to these traumatic losses, a group of students established a crisis helpline, known locally as “The Phone”, where students could call to receive emotional support through stressful or traumatic situations.

Within a few years, The Phone was opened to the general public. In 1974, these services were formally incorporated as the Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit. Under the direction of Dr. Myron Mohr, the BRCIC was one of the first agencies to receive accreditation by the American Association of Suicidology. By the late 1970’s, BRCIC had created many best practices that are used in crisis centers across the country.

The 1980’s: Growth and Evolution

In the 1980’s, with the retirement of Dr. Mohr, Dr. Frank Campbell became Executive Director and we launched an important program that became a cornerstone of BRCIC: The Survivors of Suicide Loss (SOSL).

People who were grieving a loss to suicide could attend a weekly peer facilitated gathering of other survivors of a loss to suicide. It was one of the first of its kind, and remains one of the longest running weekly support groups for survivors of suicide anywhere. The group has been meeting consistently since 1980.

Development of the LOSS Team

Under the direction of Dr.Campbell, the first Postvention program was developed in Baton Rouge in 1998. Postvention was a way to reach out to those who had recently experienced loss of a friend or loved one. The model, known as the LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) Team, was later outlined in college textbooks and was recognized by various academic groups and trade journals throughout the United States and Europe.

The Online Emotional Support Model

Starting in 2009, BRCIC began working with a national coalition to develop the first free and confidential online emotional support (OES) model, later known as CrisisChat.org.

The BRCIC was also the only crisis center in the country to achieve three industry leading accreditations at the same time — American Association of Suicidology (AAS), Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) and CONTACT USA.

In recent years BRCIC has led the field in understanding the role that care management plays in crisis intervention. Several successful models organized around care management have been put into practice across the state of Louisiana and beyond. BRCIC also successfully developed best practices around crisis intervention and care management currently used across the country.

The Present: Building on the Past and Looking to the Future

As traditional non-profit groups struggled to raise funds, the Center’s Board of Directors faced a budget crisis and had to make choices that would ensure that our crisis phone line could remain a recognized brand that symbolizes hope and comfort for those in need, so in 2018 THE PHONE was transferred to another crisis line provider in Louisiana.

After considering the options of merger or dissolution, BRCIC’s Board of Directors instead accepted the challenge to redesign our efforts and reduce overhead by selling one property, retiring current debt, and investing in our Joseph “Jody” Howell Traumatic Loss Center to ensure our agency achieved new long-term goals, while maintaining our original focus.

Recommitment to Support and Training

The Crisis Center decided to concentrate our efforts in three areas: Support, Training, and Resources.

Our support services include continuing to provide the weekly bereavement services we have delivered for so long. We revived our LOSS Team, which coordinates with the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office who, when they process a death by suicide, notifies our LOSS Team of the names and contact information of the family and friends of the deceased. The LOSS Team can then contact the survivors, help process their grief, and let them know of the services we offer to survivors.

We have two training programs. The National Suicide Training Center offers training in suicidology for professionals to become the local experts in their communities. Our BRCIC Training Program offers training both to professionals and members of the community to recognize the signs of suicide before it happens, intervene, and direct the person to resources in their communities and nationally. Some of the trainings are through LivingWorks, and others are developed here.

We maintain a list of Resources for those who want to know more about developments in suicide prevention, have lost someone to suicide, or are concerned about a loved one.