Community Resources for Mental Health

What is 988?

In July 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated 988 as the new three-digit number for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Similar to calling 911 for medical emergencies, there will be trained staff to answer calls from individuals at risk for suicide and/or experiencing mental health emergencies. Specialized services will also be available for veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other groups. 

How it Works: 

• When a call is placed to 988, a greeting message will allow the person to press 1 for Veterans Crisis Line, 2 for Spanish, or stay on the line while the call is routed to your local Lifeline network crisis center. For clarity, Springfield-Greene County Health is not the local Lifeline network crisis center and does not provide mental health services. 
• Text is also available when trying to contact 988. When a person texts 988, a short survey has to be completed and will let a crisis counselor know about the situation. After this, you'll be connected with a trained crisis counselor in a crisis center who will then answer the text and provide support and resources. 
• If neither text or calling is comfortable or available to you, there is also the option to visit the 988lifeline.org and chat to a crisis counselor using the chat button in the top right-hand corner of the  screen. A short survey will need to be filled out before you are connected with a trained crisis counselor who will then provide support and resources over chat. 

For more information, visit https://mhanational.org/resources/988.