The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) developed 988 as the new, three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the United States. It was designated by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in July 2020 to connect people in mental health distress with trained staff who can answer calls from individuals at risk for suicide as well as those experiencing other mental health and substance use related emergencies. Those who are concerned about a loved one can also contact 988. Individuals who are struggling or in crisis can call or text 988 or chat with 988 via 988lifeline.org.
In West Virginia, 988 is answered by First Choice Services. 988 provides 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors. Interactions with 988 are intended to be confidential.
Reasons a person may call 988 include:
- Thoughts of suicide
- Mental health or substance use crises
- Emotional distress
- Concerns about the mental health of a loved one
988 is not a replacement for 911 or 211. SAMHSA reports 988 is an additional resource for individuals in crisis. While 911 is still the number to call for life-threatening emergencies, 988 is intended to provide immediate support and connect individuals with local mental health resources. 211 is also a resource for individuals seeking non-emergency mental health and other social services. 988 is focused on linking individuals to resources that will provide mental health support.
NEED FOR 988
The mental health of youth is a growing concern in the United States. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention reports that between 2019 and 2021, the percentage of
high school teens experiencing depression increased from 37% to 42%. In 2021 and 2022,
the US had one death by suicide every 11 minutes. Suicide was the second-leading cause
of death for youth ages 10 to 14. In the past year, nearly 107,000 people died from a drug
overdose and 46.3 million people ages 12 and older had a substance use disorder.
Fortunately there are resources available to provide increased support to youth and adults experiencing mental health crises. 988 is a network of over 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers throughout the country. When someone in West Virginia contacts 988, a trained crisis counselor within the state will answer. If a counselor in West Virginia is not available, the call will be routed back to the national back up crisis center. The staff member will provide needed support and when necessary will make referrals to local agencies that can help. About 98% of people who call, text or chat the 988 Lifeline get the support that they need and do not require further intervention.
988 PROCESS
The 988 Lifeline is a free resource and people who use it are not required to provide
any payment or insurance information. Standard messaging and data rates will apply.
When a person contacts the Lifeline, they don’t have to say who or where. No one
has to provide any personal information to receive help. Callers will go through a
series of prompts to be connected with a counselor who can support their needs. The
average wait time to speak with a counselor is around one minute. Once connected,
the counselor will work to understand the caller’s needs, provide support, and share
referrals to local agencies that may be able to provide support.
YOUR ROLE
According to SAMHSA, numerous studies have shown that most Lifeline callers are
significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and
more hopeful after speaking to a Lifeline crisis counselor. Everyone should know about
988. Below are descriptions of free resources available to share with people of all ages. Use the order link above to order your free resources to distribute in West Virginia. To learn more about 988, visit 988lifeline.org.
FOR ALL GROUPS
WV 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
https://wv988.org
Prevent Suicide WV
https://preventsuicidewv.com/
https://preventsuicidewv.com/tools/
988 Lifeline
https://988lifeline.org
BeThe1To
https://www.bethe1to.com/
Zero Suicide Toolkit℠
https://zerosuicide.edc.org/toolkit/zero-suicide-toolkitsm
Framework for Successful Messaging
https://suicidepreventionmessaging.org/
988 Messaging
https://suicidepreventionmessaging.org/988messaging/framework
FOR SCHOOLS
After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools
https://sprc.org/online-library/after-suicide-toolkit-schools
Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools
https://store.samhsa.gov/product/preventing-suicide-toolkit-high-schools/sma12-4669
FOR SENIOR COMMUNITIES
Promoting Emotional Health and Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for Senior Living
Communities (SPARK Kit)
https://store.samhsa.gov/product/promoting-emotional-health-and-preventing-suicide/sma10-4515
FOR FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES
The Action Alliance - Faith Communities
https://theactionalliance.org/communities/faith-communities
Faith. Hope. Life.
https://theactionalliance.org/faith-hope-life
Suicide Prevention Competencies for Faith Leaders: Supporting Life Before,
During, and After a Suicidal Crisis
https://theactionalliance.org/faith-hope-life/resource/suicide-preventioncompetencies-faith-leaders-supporting-life-during-and-after-suicidal
For Community and Faith Leaders
https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/how-to-talk/community-and-faith-leaders
Faith and Community Engagement
https://www.samhsa.gov/faith-based-community-engagement
The 988 Partner Toolkit is a resource center for social media, video, print, radio, FAQs, messaging, and other marketing materials that can be used to promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It is designed for states, territories, tribes, crisis centers, communities, emergency service providers, and other partners to speak with one voice so there is a clear understanding about the 988 Lifeline and how it works.
Partners can use or adapt these outreach materials and build upon them with their community coalitions to meet the needs of their specific audiences. Some products, such as videos with no music, are designed to be customizable for what partners may need for various platforms.
Resources Include:
- Social Media
- Video
- Print Material
- Photography
- Logo and Branding
- Guidelines or Manuals
- Fact Sheet
- Graphic
- Multimedia
Target Partners:
- Crisis Centers
- School Employees
- Counselors
- Health Care Providers
- States and Territories
- Tribal Leaders
- Higher Learning Community
- Government Officials
- Justice-involved Community
- Faith-based Communities
- Parents, Families and Caregivers
- First Responders
- Media
- Policymakers