JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One year ago, the U.S. transitioned away from the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, to 988 the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
The 988 number was designed to be easy to remember for those who are experiencing a crisis and easily accessible for people who needed someone to talk to.
Since its national launch in 2022, nearly 5 million calls, chats and texts have been answered with counselors directing people experiencing mental health crises or substance use to the resources they need.
988 is confidential and free.
The number offers 24/7 call, text and chat access.
Gloria Vinson said it has been a game-changer and helped save so many lives.
The mental health advocate became engrained with helping others after her husband, Jimmy, died by suicide in September 2013.
“You are not alone. We want people to know they are not alone,” Vinson said.
She said when he died, it was shocking to everyone who knew him.
“He was a very good person. He was very family-oriented he was funny. He was the type of person again no suspected suicide,” she said.
To cope with his loss, Gloria created the Vinson Foundation in memory of her husband.
RELATED: ‘Lives will be saved’: Experts applaud launch of 988 mental health crisis hotline
“We support families who have lost someone to suicide,” Vinson said. “We help them work with that. We are just a group of people who know what they’re going through.”
Vinson said for years she’s been an advocate for mental health awareness and better access to it. That’s why she was excited about the national launch of 988.
She said she wished this type of help would have arrived sooner, so it could’ve helped more people, maybe even her husband.
“Suicide is still such a stigma,” Vinson said. “So I think the easier it is for people to get through to them the better.”
Since January, the Florida in state answer rate, or the number of calls coming from people in the state answered by people here, has risen.
Cheryl Virta with NAMI Jacksonville, an organization that helps people with mental health illnesses, said this is a good sign.
“It’s been making great strides every month the number of calls being answered the number of calls being handled, I know it’s a new number so I know initially there were a couple of hiccups but it’s getting better and better,” Cheryl Virta said. “You will always get somebody.”
Vinson said she is hopeful that more people will use 988 in the future to help them if they’re struggling.
If you know someone dealing with mental health issues, here are a list of resources:
- Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 9-8-8; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Text TALK: to 741741 (suicide)
- Text HOME: to 741741 (crisis)
- Children Home Society’s Family Support: Warm Line 1-888-733-6303 (chslistens.com)
- United Way: Dial 211 for 24-hour crisis intervention and suicide prevention
- The Vinson Foundation: Helping Families Coping with Suicide Loss (https://thevinsonfoundation.org/)
- Heretomorrow: Helpline in Neptune Beach available Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. -- (904) 372-9087 (heretomorrow.org)
- LSF Health Systems: 24/7 ACCESS TO CARE LINE: (877) 229-9098 (https://www.lsfhealthsystems.org/)
- NAMI Jacksonville: Dial 904-323-4723 or email Helpline@namijax.org (https://www.namijax.org/)