Inside Your Health: The 988 crisis line

As Suicide Prevention Month comes to a close, many Americans with mental illness still do not get treatment, and 988 is a free option for support beyond a suicide crisis.

We asked KSTP health expert Dr. Archelle Georgiou about the resource.

Most of us didn’t know that 988 is for more than a crisis line, Dr. Archelle Georgiou said, adding it can be used for, “Emotional distress, a difficult moment or just needing to talk, a concern for someone else.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said last year one in five American adults had a mental illness, and nearly half got no mental health treatment. Getting help can be hard because waitlists are long, providers are scarce and costs add up.

In Minnesota, depression and anxiety were the top two needs. Dr. Georgiou said 60% of Americans are not aware that the service exists.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) h...