ICYMI: Senator Hassan Raises Awareness About 988 Suicide Hotline in WMUR Interview
MANCHESTER – In case you missed it, Senator Hassan appeared on WMUR yesterday to mark the one-year anniversary of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline going live and to raise awareness about this resource. Senator Hassan helped create and fund the hotline.
To reach the hotline, dial 9-8-8, text 9-8-8, or chat online at 988lifeline.org. To reach the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 9-8-8 then press 1, text 838255, or chat online at veteranscrisisline.net.
WMUR: It has been one year since the 988 suicide prevention hotline launched. New Hampshire Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen helped establish the line for anyone struggling with their mental health. Marissa Tansino is in our newsroom with how many people that hotline has helped so far.
WMUR: […] Senator Hassan says more than 5 million people nationwide have made calls and texts to the 3 digit crisis line since last July. She even says about 1,000 people [in New Hampshire] have accessed it over the last month.
[…] Senator Hassan says right now the average wait time to be connected to a professional is 40 seconds. She says spreading the word about the hotline could help save someone’s life.
Senator Hassan: Mental health is just like any other health need, it is part of our overall health care, and we need people to speak up when they feel that they need mental health care, to reach out, to talk to their friends and family about how they’re feeling, and to dial 988 if you are in crisis.
WMUR: Now the Senator says she is still working on a number of different mental health initiatives, including finding funding to train more mental health experts in the state, and creating space for those professionals to work alongside other traditional healthcare providers.
###
