How 988 Is Changing the Way We Respond to Crisis
It starts with three digits. A person in crisis: someone struggling with despair, weighed down by depression, or disturbed by suicidal thoughts, picks up the phone. Instead of trying to remember a long 1-800 number or dialing 911 and risking a response that may not fit the situation, they simply press: 9-8-8.
On the other end of the line is a trained crisis specialist ready to listen, support, and help chart a path forward. Since July 2022, that’s been the promise of 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a nationwide number designed to make life-saving support accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
More Than Just a Number
At first glance, 988 might look like just another addition to the growing list of emergency numbers, but it represents something deeper: a fundamental shift in how our nation treats mental health. Just as 911 signals a physical health emergency, 988 signals a mental health emergency and ensures the response is rooted in compassion, connection, and care.
The line is free, confidential, and open to anyone in emotional distress, whether they’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, facing a substance use crisis, or struggling with mental health challenges. But it’s not only for people in crisis themselves. Friends, family members, even coworkers and neighbors can call to learn how to support someone they’re worried about.
How It Works
When someone dials 988, technology routes the call to the nearest available crisis center based on area code and location. If the local center is at capacity, the call is seamlessly transferred to a national backup network. The goal is simple but profound: no call goes unanswered.
Once connected, callers are met with compassion. Specialists listen without judgment, ask questions to understand immediate needs, and help create a plan to stay safe. If ongoing support is needed, they provide referrals, follow-up, and links to local resources. Everything shared is confidential, except in situations where someone is at immediate risk of harm.
Local Voices, Local Care
In South Carolina, Mental Health America of Greenville County (MHAGC) plays a vital role in making 988 more than just a phone number. For more than three decades—long before 988 existed—MHAGC has been providing suicide hotline services for adults and teens, beginning in 1990. In 2007, MHAGC joined the National Suicide Prevention Network, further strengthening its impact. Today, the organization carries that legacy forward by staffing one of South Carolina’s two 988 call centers. Alongside the Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Center, MHAGC works to ensure that every South Carolinian has access to compassionate, life-saving support.
Why does it matter that calls are answered locally? Because local crisis specialists understand the unique needs of their communities. They know which food banks have open hours, which shelters still have beds, and where to connect people for mental health counseling or peer support. A call answered by a local 988 center isn’t just about preventing a crisis in the moment—it’s about linking someone to the local resources that will help them rebuild stability afterward.
National backup centers keep the line open, but local centers add something irreplaceable: the personal connection and community knowledge that turn a phone call into a lifeline.
What to Expect When You Call
People often hesitate to reach out because they’re unsure of what will happen. The process is simple and respectful. At the beginning of the call, a few short questions help route the caller—for example, veterans can press 1 to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Line, and Spanish speakers can access services in their language by pressing 2. From their cell phone or their computer, a caller can access a crisis intervention specialist proficient in American Sign Language. From there, the conversation flows naturally.
A specialist listens, asks about safety, and helps the caller think through next steps. Sometimes that means talking through immediate feelings until the person feels calmer. Sometimes it means making a plan to connect with ongoing care. Whatever the need, the focus is always on offering hope, reducing distress, and ensuring no one faces a crisis alone.
A National Commitment
The creation of 988 was more than a convenience—it’s a national statement. It says that mental health matters, that crises of the mind and heart deserve the same urgent attention as crises of the body. By making help just three digits away, the nation has reduced barriers to care and taken a step toward reducing reliance on 911 for mental health emergencies that require a different kind of response.
How You Can Help
You don’t have to be a counselor to make a difference. One of the simplest yet most powerful things you can do is save 988 in your phone and share it widely—with family, friends, coworkers, and students. Awareness is half the battle.
Communities can also spread the word in schools, workplaces, and faith centers. For those who want to take a more active role, programs like QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) offer practical, life-saving training for recognizing and responding to suicide risk.
You Are Not Alone
No one should have to face a mental health crisis in silence. With 988, hope is never out of reach. Whether you are calling for yourself or for someone you love, trained crisis specialists are ready—day or night—to listen, support, and connect you to the care you need.
Help is here. Hope is here. Call, text, or chat 988.
