As we enter Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, we are grateful to share some good news with our community. Mental Health America of Greenville County’s Upstate 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline call center has been reaccredited by the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) for another three-year term.
While accreditation may sound like an agency accomplishment, what it really represents is something much more important: our commitment to the people who reach out to us in moments when they need support.
The American Association of Suicidology is a global leader in suicide prevention and operates the only U.S.-based accreditation program dedicated specifically to suicidology. AAS evaluates crisis centers against internationally recognized standards, and its accreditation process is accepted by the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and aligned with multiple state and federal accreditation requirements. Accreditation provides organizations with a framework for ongoing self-evaluation and quality improvement, while assuring staff, volunteers, partners, and the people we serve that we are committed to the highest standards in suicide prevention and crisis care.
There are currently 127 AAS-accredited crisis centers in the United States. We are honored to be among them.
For our call center, reaccreditation means taking a close look at the way we provide crisis support, evaluating our policies and practices, and making sure we continue to meet rigorous standards. It is not simply something we accomplish once every three years. It is part of an ongoing commitment to learning, improving, and providing compassionate, effective support to every person who contacts 988.
That commitment extends to our staff as well. The majority of our 988 call center staff are individually certified, while the remaining staff are actively working toward certification. Their training and professional development are an important part of ensuring that when someone reaches out, they are met by a trained crisis specialist who is prepared to listen, provide support, and help connect them with resources.
Although the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is still relatively new, the work behind the number is not. Mental Health America of Greenville County has been providing crisis support and suicide prevention services in our community for decades. Our crisis intervention work dates back to 1969, and MHAGC assumed management of the local CRISISline in 1990. In 2007, we became part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. When the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline transitioned to the easy-to-remember three-digit 988 number in July 2022, our call center was ready. We brought decades of experience to the new 988 system, and we are now in our fourth year of answering calls, texts, and chats as part of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
For us, the number itself has never been the whole story. The heart of the service has always been the same: when someone is struggling, they should have somewhere to turn. They should be able to reach a trained person who will listen without judgment and help them take the next step. That is also why suicide prevention cannot be limited to a phone number — or to one month on the calendar.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, with World Suicide Prevention Day observed each year on September 10. The observance provides an opportunity to bring suicide out of the shadows, encourage conversations about mental health, and remind people that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. But prevention is something we work toward every day of the year.
At Mental Health America of Greenville County, that work takes many forms. Our 988 crisis specialists are available around the clock. Our Survivors of Suicide Loss program provides support to people navigating the profound grief that follows a suicide loss. And throughout the year, we work in communities across the Upstate to help people understand mental wellness, recognize when someone may be struggling, and learn how to respond.
One of the most important tools we bring into our communities is QPR — Question, Persuade, Refer. QPR is a gatekeeper training designed to give everyday people the confidence and skills to recognize warning signs of suicide, ask someone directly if they are thinking about suicide, and connect them with help. The people who take these classes are rarely mental health professionals. They are parents, coworkers, educators, friends, neighbors, faith leaders, volunteers, and community members. They are people who may someday be in a position to make a difference simply because they knew what to look for and what to do.
Our QPR trainers provide classes throughout the Upstate, and we would love to bring this training to your organization, workplace, school, civic group, faith community, or other gathering. Check our community calendar for upcoming classes, or email outreach@mhagc.org to learn more about scheduling a training for your organization.
Suicide prevention is ultimately about connection. Sometimes that connection is a conversation with a friend. Sometimes it is learning how to recognize that someone may need help. Sometimes it is knowing where to find local resources. And sometimes, it is simply having someone on the other end of a phone, text, or chat who is willing to listen.
Our reaccreditation from the American Association of Suicidology is one way we demonstrate our commitment to making sure that connection is as strong as it can be.
We are so proud of our staff who do this work every day, grateful for the community partners who help us reach more people, and thankful for everyone who takes the time to learn how to support someone who may be struggling. Most of all, we remain committed to being here when our community needs us.
This Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, we encourage you to start a conversation, check in on someone you care about, learn the warning signs of suicide, and save 988 in your phone. Prevention begins long before a crisis. It begins with connection, compassion, and a willingness to reach out.
Strength begins with connection. And sometimes, that connection can save a life.
With Gratitude,
