HOUSTON — Sunday marked one year since the U.S. turned a three-digit number into the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
People across the nation can use 988 to call, text and chat. You can connect with trained counselors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Most people know 911 as an emergency telephone number and 211 for resources in your community. Now, 988 has been contacted more than 5 million times in its first year.
A local center for mental health services receives a majority of the calls for the state.
"We often hear, 'This is the first time I've ever told anybody this. Is it okay to tell you anything? I've never really talked about this before,' and the answer is absolutely," Jennifer Battle said. She's the vice president of community access and engagement, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD based in Houston. It serves more than 40 counties in the state of Texas.
Battle said you don't have to be experiencing suicidal thoughts or having a crisis to call 988.
"You could be a person who really is just having a really tough day. You could be somebody who doesn't have a lot of friends and family to talk to about these types of issues," Battle said.
Texas is third in volume of calls received. In just the last month, there were 11,200 calls. The Harris Center answered 5,000 of those.
"There's a lot of folks in Texas who are calling out and reaching out for support and care and guidance and anxiety reduction and even some people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts," Battle said.
The hope is 988 becomes more known as a simple enough number for people to remember, especially when going through dark times.
"No matter where you are in the state of Texas, if you call 9-8-8, your call will be answered," Battle said.
For more information on The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, click here.