Mental Health Minute: 988 Hotline celebrates two-year anniversary

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Biden administration is marking the two-year anniversary of the nation’s revamped suicide and crisis hotline and that’s the focus of this week’s Mental Health Minute.

It has an easy-to-remember to number, 988, that works like 911.

The Department of Health and Human Services says 988 counselors have answered more than 10 million calls, texts, and chats, since the launch on July 16, 2022.

The HHS has invested nearly $1.5 billion into it.

Meanwhile, the Idaho Crisis & Suicide Hotline has been going strong for 12 years.

The director says the three-digit hotline is one of the most important developments for them in their goals.

“We’re still excited about that,” exclaimed Lee Flinn. “The purpose of the three-digit number is really to make it easier for Idahoans that are feeling any kind of emotional distress, to make it easier for people to know how to reach out and know that they can reach out.

988 has options specifically for veterans and LGBTQI youth and young adults.

The hotline center is based out of Boise and they provide free, confidential crisis intervention. If you’re looking to make a difference, Flinn encourages you to apply.

“We do hire regular crisis responders in particular and we’re always looking for people to be on the team.”

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