Starting in July this year, you can call or text 9-8-8; the call/text for help. Quickly you will be connected with a trained crisis specialist who will work with you and connect you to local resources. This new three-digit lifeline will have you routed to any of our individual state’s National Suicide Prevention Lifeline centers and be able to discuss any mental health or substance abuse issues and suicide crisis intervention. You are not alone, and there is hope, make the call.
Courtesy dmh.mo.gov
When someone calls, chats, or texts 988, they can expect to be connected to a crisis specialist who is trained and prepared to deliver support to anyone experiencing a crisis. Because a crisis is defined by the person or family experiencing it, the crisis specialist will engage with the person to understand and address the person’s unique concerns and needs. The intervention may include assessment, stabilization, referral, and follow-up for individuals at high risk for suicide and/or poor mental health outcomes. If a higher level of care is needed, the crisis specialist will work with the caller and other supports to connect them to a mobile crisis response team to respond to the person in the community.