September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services wants to help more Utahns learn about the resources available right now for crisis situations, or any mental health situations ahead of National 988 Day on Sunday.
“It’s important to know if things get tough, you aren’t alone. You can get help for yourself or someone else by calling or texting 988. There is always someone available to help you,” said Brent Kelsey, director of the department’s mental health office.
Utah has multiple new resources to help people going through a mental health crisis, and people involved with providing those resources are encouraging anyone in need to reach out.
988 hotline
The 988 number, a national suicide prevention hotline , received 91,779 calls and 10,217 chats in Utah over the last year. Specialists in Utah answered 93% of those, while others were transferred to a national team, Kelsey said in a statement.
Carol Ruddell, administrator of Live On Utah and the health department’s Office of Substance Use and Mental Health, said in an interview the number of people using the hotline grows each month as people learn about it. The number has been available since July 2022.