You’re Not Alone: Why You Should Dial 988 in a Mental Health Crisis

­­Presented by Change 4 the Kenai

Showing someone experiencing a mental health crisis that they matter is at the core of what makes 988 such a powerful tool for the Kenai Peninsula Borough community and throughout Alaska.

The 988 Lifeline is part of the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, which mandated the FCC to designate 988 as the new crisis line that allows people to call, text, or chat with a counselor. States manage the necessary components for implementing the 988 crisis line and integrating it into emergency services.

Dr. Kristie Sellers, Director of Behavioral Health at the Central Peninsula Hospital (CPH), said that the 988 Lifeline creates an avenue for anyone struggling with mental health to get help and know they’re not alone.

“Yesterday, I [was] discharging a 20-something-year-old woman who had a suicide attempt from the hospital, and I’m able to sit there next to her, and I’m able to say, ‘Because you matter, because you’re important to our world and our future, this line exists,’” Dr. Sellers said of the national crisis hotline.

Sellers said CPH has been working closely with the Alaska Dept. of Health to integrate the 988 Lifeline in the community and support its unique implementation of the line throughout the state.

Alaska’s and CPH’s Trailblazing Approach to 988

According to the latest Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) data, in 2022, Alaska experienced a suicide death rate of 27.6 per 100,000 people, the second-highest in the nation. Dr. Sellers said that’s one of many vital reasons the state created several planning committees and groups to plan its 988 implementation and ensure its efficacy.

“Alaska actually is doing a pretty nice job with this, to be honest,” Dr. Sellers said. “We’re seeing a statewide rollout of the 988 line.”

Alaska is taking a three-pronged approach to broadening support for people experiencing a mental health crisis in the Kenai Peninsula Borough and statewide as part of its Crisis Now model. The Crisis Now model means “people experiencing a behavioral health crisis get the right care, in the right setting, when they need it — just like what we expect for individuals experiencing a physical health crisis.”

Part of the first prong was the launch and continued implementation of the 988 Lifeline. CPH has partnered with the state to support the second prong, creating a mobile crisis team that can be dispatched to a person-in-need effective Oct. 1.

That means when a person in crisis calls 988 and the trained counselor determines further support is needed, they can dispatch the mobile crisis team to offer further, face-to-face assistance.

The third layer involves building a mental health facility that will provide people in crisis with housing and services if necessary. Dr. Sellers said they are still in the planning phase of the facility.

A Mental Health Alternative to 911

Dr. Sellers said that the most significant challenge surrounding the 988 Lifeline is that it is a less-talked-about alternative to 911 and that those who do know about it have a misconception that it’s primarily for people considering ending their life.

“It’s literally for any human being that is in a mental health crisis,” said Sofia Costales, Administrative Assistant of Behavioral Health for the Change 4 the Kenai campaign. Change 4 the Kenai is a coalition that has been dedicated to understanding and reducing the instances of injection drug use in the community and across the state since 2014.

According to 2022 data from the Alaska Dept. of Health, 247 people died from overdoses that year, a drastic jump from the 106 who died in 2013. Dr. Sellers added that CPH has seen an approximate 60% jump in mental health crises and emergency cases involving people using drugs intravenously since 2013.

Thankfully, 988 is a valuable avenue people can use to help someone in crisis or someone who may be using drugs get connected with resources like detox facilities and counselors, Costales said.

Blasting the Stigma

Dr. Sellers said one of the best things about the 988 crisis hotline is simply the fact that it’s there, blasting the stigma often surrounding mental health.

“There’s always shame around this, and I think [988] tells people,’ Hey, we’re taking your problems as serious as the problems of someone that has a broken leg,’” Dr. Sellers said. “[It says], ‘You matter enough to our community, you matter enough to our country…it impacts people’s hearts; it impacts their perception of their value.”

Sellers said the most common callers are people who are experiencing loneliness, which the line is able to dramatically help with by giving people someone to talk to. Costales added that it’s a dynamic solution for men, who are also less likely to share when they’re struggling with mental health, and teens, who may be scared to tell anyone what they’re going through.

“It’s a statement of the value of people…to know they matter,” Dr. Sellers said

How 988 Works

Calling, texting, or using 988′s online chat feature is a lifeline to those in need, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When a person texts or calls 988:

• They will receive or hear a wait-time message providing information about how long it will take before a live person connects with them.
• A counselor will then answer the text, chat, or call.
• Counselors will listen closely to ensure they fully understand.
• They will then provide support and resources.
• From there, the counselor will determine if additional support from local law enforcement or providers is needed.

Dr. Sellers and CPH want Alaska residents and visitors to be as familiar with utilizing 988 in a mental health emergency as they are with dialing 911 in a physical emergency.

“When you can say to somebody they matter, that alone is enough to start the change process, to be able to say to somebody, ‘There is a resource to help you get through this, you’re not alone anymore,’” Dr. Sellers said.

“If you’re questioning it, you should call anyway,” added Costales. “It’s not gonna hurt to connect with someone.”

Learn more about the 988 Lifeline in Alaska here.

This story was produced by the sponsored content department of the Anchorage Daily News in collaboration with Change 4 the Kenai. The ADN newsroom was not involved in its production.