The Lifeline and 988: Lifeline (988lifeline.org)
Effective immediately, a new referral source was added to assist DMH in identifying how many people are referred to a county authority by calling the 988 hotline.
Per DAODAS, the 3-digit dialing code 9-8-8 went live on July 16, 2022. In 2020, Congress designated the 988 dialing code to be operated through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifetime. The intention is that this number become the 911 for mental health and substance use crisis. In the state of SC, 988 is answered by Mental Health of America Greenville County unless they are unable to answer, and it rolls over to a national answering service. The 988-call operator will help resolve the crisis through call or text. They have the capacity to involve 911 services or DMH mobile crisis, if needed. SAMHSA sees 988 as a first step towards a transformed crisis care system in America. Over time, the hope is that 988 will be built out as a crisis care continuum with – someone to answer (hotline), someone to respond (mobile crisis), and somewhere to go (crisis stabilization unit). https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988