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There are two primary reasons people in crisis – or trying to help someone who is – don’t call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, said Sheila Moran with First Choice Services, which operates the hotline.
Either they don’t think their situation warrants a call to a help center, or they’re afraid it will trigger an in-person response from police or EMS, and possibly in-patient treatment.
She is hoping to counter those fears with a dose of reality as part of National 988 Day on Sept. 8.
“I can tell you less than 2% of the calls we receive require any kind of in-person assistance. And even that 2%, that’s generally because someone has said, ‘Yes, I need you to send someone in person to me,'” Moran said.
Instead, she said, crisis counselors – available 24/7 -- are trained first to listen.
“That sounds pretty simple, but in reality, a lot of people don’t have someone who’s going to just listen to them and help them go through their feelings without judging them, without immediately jumping in with advice. Our crisis counselors listen without judgment. They help de-escalate if they’re in crisis,” Moran said.
Calls, text messages and chats seeking help for those in crisis or considering suicide have more than tripled in recent years, according to data compiled by First Choice.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in West Virginia. More than two-thirds of suicides here were committed by firearms.
Moran said for those trying to help someone in crisis, it’s important to ask directly if they’re considering suicide.
“Of course, you’ve got to know what to do if they say yes, right? And so the answer to that is that you’ve got to listen to them, be non-judgmental. You’ve got to connect them with help, whether it be local mental health or 988. You’ve got to follow up,” she said.
As for those who feel their concerns aren’t critical enough to warrant a helpline call, this year’s national 988 Day message is, “988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough.”
“People call us for hundreds of reasons, and by the end of the conversation, the most common outcome is that they feel better,” said Rozanna Bracken 988 Program Director. “We employ close to a hundred people to respond to those reaching out to 988. In West Virginia, 988 calls, texts and chats come to our center and are answered by real people, no bots and no AI. Our crisis counselors listen, provide compassionate support, and give local resources for additional help.”
The most recent figures for West Virginia show 303 people committed suicide in 2024.