MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — Help for people experiencing mental health and substance use concerns is just a call, chat or text away.
Caroline Crehan-Neuman with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services says the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential support with trained counselors.
“And that trained counselor can help people work through a myriad of issues that they may be facing,” Crehan-Neuman said, adding the the assistance available has proven to be helpful. “What our data in Wisconsin shows is that usually each month, less than half a percent of all contacts that come to our center in Wisconsin have any type of additional intervention.”
In Wisconsin, calls, texts, and chats are answered by the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline, a service of Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin contracted with the Department of Health Services. If the 988 Wisconsin Lifeline is unable to answer, the contact is routed automatically to a backup support center, which may be in another state.