NORTH CHARLESTON — New signs stand on the Ashley Phosphate Road overpass to connect people who are experiencing a mental health crisis with immediate support.
“It’s okay to ask for help,” the message reads.
The sign directs people to call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or scan the QR code that brings them to 988lifeline.org. The 24/7 lifeline connects people with trained counselors who listen, offer support and share relevant resources.
“If we save one life, it’s worth its weight in gold,” said Councilwoman Rhonda Jerome, who helped spearhead the effort along with Councilwoman Nefertiti Brown.
This resource is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to offer mental health help and increase protection near the overpasses. Jerome said the idea for the signs came from Jonathan Kessler, a member of the region-wide Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition, who helped install similar signs in Berkeley County.
Mayor Reggie Burgess said cities and counties need to take the lead in offering resources for residents.
“What we can do now is put some prevention tools together as a city,” he said.
On April 19, 2025, North Charleston Police Sgt. Diego Lizarazo responded to a call from a passerby who saw a man straddling the railing of the same overpass. Dash camera footage showed Lizarazo getting out of his car and asking the man if he could approach him. He nodded in response.
Lizarazo then offered the man a hug. The man got off the railing and embraced the officer.
He said he talked with the man, who shared that he had been struggling, according to a video produced by the city. The video has been nominated for a regional Emmy Award.
“I offered him a hug and that changed everything,” Lizarazo said in the video.
A year ago, the city worked with the S.C. Department of Transportation to install enhanced safety railings on both sides of the Ashley Phosphate overpass. In the last couple of weeks, the same signs have been placed at the overpasses on Aviation and Weber boulevards.
Police Cpl. Christopher Brasseaux, who is also a member of the coalition, said it will be hard to measure how often people use the signs, but he has already witnessed one instance after they were installed April 22.
On May 4, he said he responded to a call from someone who was concerned about their family member’s mental health. Brasseaux connected with the person in crisis and met him at his home. During their conversation, the man told Brasseaux that he went to the Ashley Phosphate overpass earlier in the day. He first noticed the safety barriers, then saw the sign, Brasseaux said.
“He actually utilized it to speak to 988,” he said.
The man then got into his car and went home. Brasseaux later met him there and offered mental health resources, which he accepted.
Laura Moss, the deputy director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in South Carolina, said the signs bring more awareness to the 988 lifeline. She said many people don’t know the lifeline is available to anyone needing support, whether for mental health struggles, substance use, or emotional distress. People who are concerned about a family member or friend can also use the resource. Moss said people can remain anonymous.
“It can help you get the tools and or resources that you need to deal with the situation at that current time,” she said.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. This service is free, confidential and available 24/7.