CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The second 998 Suicide Hotline call center in South Carolina has been operating in Charleston for almost a full year and in that time has fielded thousands of callers.
The 988 suicide and mental health hotline number launched nationwide in 2022 and is available 24/7. Charleston/Dorchester Mental Health leaders say, the more local the person answering those calls the better. That way, people can get quick access to mobile crisis units if needed. So far, 4,129 callers have dialed in.
Jennifer Brush is the Executive Director at Charleston/Dorchester Mental Health Center.
“Today, 988 in South Carolina is answering 81% of the calls in our state. We’ve slowly increased this number over the past year as we’ve continually added staff at both our call centers in Greenville and in Charleston. Our goal is to have all calls made to 988 by someone in South Carolina, answered by a 998 call taker in South Carolina,” Brush says.
If a call goes to 988, and all local South Carolina call takers are tied up, the call is answered by a national partner. State leaders say the goal is to get South Carolina call centers staffed so that all calls that come in can be answered locally.
“If we’re able to answer the calls within our own state, we’re better able to provide resources since we know our own resources better than anyone else,” Brush says.
The 988 hotline is often people’s first step to sharing their situation and is a critical point in getting people the right support and care they need.
“988 also provides follow-up calls to our imminent risk callers and we will continue to follow up with callers until they don’t need us checking in on them anymore. And that aid is just one part of the South Carolina crisis care continuum. It is the someone to talk to you part,” Brush says.
The center is part of the state Department of Mental Health. They also run a few mobile crisis units and in-patient treatment that can serve as next steps if needed.
The Charleson call center is funded through the end of 2025 by grants and state legislation
“To make it easy. All you have to do is remember three numbers: 988. If there’s not a medical emergency where you should call 911 and you just need emotional support help. You can call, you can text, or you can chat with 988. There will always be someone on the other end of the phone or the other end of the computer to help you,” Brush says.
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