LISTEN: What happens when someone calls 988?

SALT LAKE CITY — Signed into federal law in 2020, the 988 suicide prevention hotline promotes suicide awareness and provides strategies to prevent tragedy. 

Diana Ballesteros Riano, Outreach Coordinator with Hunstman Mental Health Institute walked Dave and Dujanavic through the specific details of what happens when you call the hotline.

What can you expect? 

When a person dials 988, they’ll hear the following options:  

1. Would you like to go straight to 988? 
2. Would you like to go to the Spanish version? 
3. Do you need the Trevor Project, or the 988 function for veterans? 

After that point, if the individual clicks 988 option, they’ll reach their local center, Ballesteros said.

Ballesteros said it’s important to note that all calls, including any needed help or deescalation that follows, are completely free. 

“We enure that if an individual is in a state of crisis that surpasses a phone call, where we need to deescalate maybe in person, we can connect with teams [from] our mobile crisis intervention teams that will be able to provide that extra support for that person,” Ballesteros said. 

Can you call in behalf of someone? 

“If you are concerned for a loved one, a family member, or someone that you know, and you feel like you can provide that support by calling, you can ask the individual, ‘hey would it be okay if I call on your behalf?'” Ballesteros said.

“Or if you would like some extra resources, it is a perfect situation to communicate with our crisis counselors.” 

Police involvement? 

Very rarely will the hotline respondents involve police, Ballesteros said. 

“Our whole idea is to provide the best level of care at the lowest level of care,” she said.

That means that if the individual needs deescalation over the phone, they are going to do everything they can to make it as easy for the caller.

988 provides all kinds of support

Ballesteros says 988 is for anyone who needs any kind of emotional support. 

“It could be as simple as ‘I’m stressed over work, and I need [extra support],'” she said. “Or it could be more severe, something as suicidal ideation or individuals feeling like all hope is lost,” she said.

The 988 hotline is completely confidential and protected by HIPPA laws. 

“We are here to make sure that you have that place where its safe and get support that you need,” Ballesteros said. “All of our counselors care so much about the people that we provide the service to. That is why we do this.”