Ohio's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Tops One Million Contacts: Averaging More Than 30,000 a Month
Ohio's governor's office announced on October 30 that the state's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has surpassed one million calls, texts and chats since its July 2022 launch. So far this year the line has averaged more than 30,000 contacts a month. The 988 number is free and available around the clock.
Ohio's 988 system is administered by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) through in-state call centers covering all 88 counties, connecting callers with trained crisis counselors. For young people aged 20 and under, the line can connect to Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS), which sends professionals to provide in-person crisis support. DBH Director Tia Marcel Moretti said the one-million milestone shows residents know where to turn and that the state's crisis network has reached scale.
The 988 number became the nationwide suicide and crisis line in July 2022, replacing the previous ten-digit number. Ohioans can also find local crisis resources at 988.ohio.gov.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 俄亥俄州议会大厦，Columbus（资料图）。CC BY-SA 4.0，Sixflashphoto摄，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The ohio statehouse in columbus (file photo). CC BY-SA 4.0, by Sixflashphoto, via Wikimedia Commons.
