SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — September 8 is 988 day, the namesake of a three-digit phone number that is saving lives in the state.
988 is the country’s suicide prevention hotline. Those experiencing suicidal thoughts or mental health concerns are able to call the number and receive help from master-level counselors.
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September is also National Suicide Prevention Month. To raise awareness of the hotline, large statues of the 988 number were placed in a variety of locations in the state. In Sioux Falls, one sits inside the Empire Mall.
Last year, 198 people died by suicide in the state. Over 20% were under the age of 30.
Janet Kittams, the CEO of The Helpline Center, which administers the call line in the state with 988, says many of the calls are from people who are not always in crisis but have initial feelings of anxiety or depression and ask questions about their mental health…