By Kaylin Paschall, TME

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, a department within the United States Department of Health and Human Services, there was one suicide every eleven minutes during the year 2020. Even more shocking, SAMHSA also reports that suicide is a leading manner of death for people between the ages 10 and 34.

Recognizing the growing need for additional mental health services and support, the Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services administration have launched a new Suicide Crisis Lifeline dialing code.

Kern Joins the Nation

United States Congress designated a new dialing code—988—which reaches the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline operators. Dialing 988 now connects callers to a network of over 200 locally-operated crisis centers across the country with specialists who speak multiple languages.

On July 16, the local service number transitioned to the short dialing code: 988.

When to Call

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This is part of the July 22, 2022 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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