7/18/23

Calls by Virginia residents to the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline have jumped by 50 percent since the number was created just over a year ago.

Frontier Health, an agency that handles part of the commonwealth’s calls, told one Roanoke-area television station that Virginians are dialing 9-8-8 between five-and-seven-thousand times every month.

The hotline reportedly struggling with understaffing in the state, leading to dropped and delayed calls when folks may have needed it the most – but now, supervisors with Frontier say they’re much more prepared to handle the high volume.

Anyone experiencing a crisis is encouraged to call or text 9-8-8 – or chat with a counselor online at 988lifeline.org.