SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – State leaders visited Savannah to discuss mental health awareness and the importance of the 988 hotline.
Officials said 350,000 texts, calls and chats were made to the 988 hotline in Georgia last year. They said the resource is being used and is saving lives.
Kevin Tanner, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, said there are countless success stories of the hotline working. One involved a pregnant mother who now serves as a peer to others.
“When she was pregnant with her child, she was contemplating killing herself, and she disclosed that to her OBGYN physician, who really did not know what to do,” Tanner said. “The physician picked up the phone and called 988. She talks about that and says that saved her life.”
Resources available 24/7
The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities visited Savannah to remind the coastal empire of the resources available 24/7.
Officials said the 988 number is free and anonymous to everyone. They said they are seeing an influx of people utilize the resource with the text and chat line that is available.
Tanner told WTOC he credits social media as being a big mental health factor in kids and teens.
“I can remember growing up and all the stressors that came with school, and then you were able to go home,” Tanner said. “I went back home to the farm and I was able to escape that. But now you’re never without that telephone, and that’s 24 hours a day that our children are being bombarded through social media.”
Funding and law enforcement partnerships
The department has $1 billion in government funding. A $409 million allocation for a new hospital pushed the total to over $1 billion. Officials said they have had support from Gov. Brian Kemp within the budget.
The department has partnered with law enforcement so officers are trained how to handle someone in a crisis state.
Tanner said changes in behavior like sleeping more can be an indication of mental health struggles. He said the 988 number is the resource to call for help, even if the call is not for yourself.
The team can help match callers with a local clinician or send out a local crisis team to help. The number is active 24 hours a day, seven days a week.