GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Individuals experiencing a mental health emergency in North Carolina and across the country can now call or text '988' to reach a trained crisis counselor.
The '988' hotline builds off the existing National Suicide Prevention Hotline but is designed to increase accessibility to mental health services and get people the right help quickly.
"It's going to be easier for people to get that initial connection," said Madonna Greer, the President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Guilford. "We know many people are at home or on their job and they are struggling and they don’t know what to do so they kind of suffer in silence."
Since 2012, North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with REAL Crisis Intervention, Inc. in Greenville to operate the NC Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
"We are one of the number one facilities that answers our calls extremely well," Greer said of the call center. "So I’m very confident of those folks out there in Greenville ready to go and answer those calls in a timely manner."
According to NCDHHS, in May 2022, 98% of their calls were answered in less than seven seconds which is the second-best rate in the country.
Greer said about 70% of people who call in can have their problem resolved via phone. The other 30% would get what is called a mobile crisis team, made up of mental health professionals rather than law enforcement. Members of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention said this kind of specific help is crucial.
"Law-enforcement acknowledges that they are not the best equipped to respond to mental health emergencies and it takes a great deal of time for law-enforcement officers to respond to people experiencing mental health emergencies when they could be doing other things to protect and serve," said Vic Armstrong with the North Carolina chapter of AFSP.
The federal government has provided more than $280 million to help states go beyond just the '988' service including mobile mental health crisis teams.
Armstrong said the '988' hotline is just the tip of the iceberg for improving the mental health system across the country.
"We really have to look at not just where people call but what resources do we need to be able to respond at every situation where someone is experiencing a mental health emergency," Armstrong said.
Greer with NAMI Guilford said '988' will not only get people help faster, but they hope it will reduce the number of calls coming into 911 centers for non-life threatening emergencies. Officials with Guilford County said they actually may see more 911 calls initially.
"We could see more calls especially as people get more familiar with calling 988," said Julie Smith, the Communications Director for Guilford County. "Having a resource to call when you are just not sure, it’s really an invaluable thing. We are always happy to reply in an emergency, that’s why we have our 911 system and emergency responders and this just gives us another tool on the toolbelt to be sure we are responding to residents in the most compassionate way right when they need it."
NCDHHS said they expect up to 30% more calls to the hotline with the new number.
“Help is available to those experiencing a mental health crisis,” said NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley in a news release. “Our goal is to make 9-8-8 a household word that North Carolinians know they can access from wherever they are to get the help they need. This resource will literally save lives.”