OHIO DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTION SERVICES: 988 LIFELINE

The National 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in 2022, but by the middle of 2023 only 35% of Ohioans knew about it. The state set out to launch an awareness campaign to change that. 

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In addition to general awareness, there was the misconception that the lifeline was only for suicidal individuals, while the truth is that anyone can call for any reason. This campaign set out to break down some of those barriers to calling, reassuring Ohioans that someone was there for them when they needed it, and that they would remain anonymous in the process. 

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The campaign has been running for a little over a year now and has seen as much as a 65% increase in calls/texts in a single month. The messaging is working and, more importantly, Ohioans are getting the help they need.