By Macy Byars, Nebraska Public Media News
Nebraska has seen a steady increase in calls to 988, a number that connects people to counselors who can provide crisis support for mental health concerns, substance abuse disorders, loneliness and more.
In fiscal year 2023, there were about 19,000 calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline from Nebraskans. In 2024, just over 23,000 Nebraskans called in. There have been around 20,000 calls in the current fiscal year, representing a 14% increase in monthly calls compared to last year.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has operated a 988 line since July 2022.
Dr. Thomas Janousek is the Director of the DHHS’s Behavioral Health Division. He said the increase in calls doesn’t necessarily indicate more mental health issues.
“It’s not particularly due to what we’re seeing as any kind of major behavioral health event,” Janousek said. “We are attributing it to mainly more knowledge about the 988 crisis line as the place to go for crisis situations.”
Janousek said DHHS is promoting awareness of 988 through Husker sporting events. There also are billboards reminding travelers “you are not alone” posted throughout Nebraska’s highway system. National media also promotes 988 as the main crisis support line.
Operated by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the 988 Lifeline is a reinvention of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
“The goal was to create a system that was much more easy to remember and more easily accessible,” Janousek said. “As opposed to remembering a 1-800 number, you could just use 988 and that would get you to a local crisis counseling center that was staffed 24/7 wherever you were in the United States.”
Every state has a 988 line. Calls are geolocated and routed to the correct call center. Nebraska’s call center is based at Boys Town in Omaha.
The 988 Lifeline has service in Spanish and American Sign Language, as well as text and online chat. There is also veteran and LGBTQ-specific support.
Janousek said the crisis line is especially important in rural areas with limited access to behavioral health resources.
“Sometimes, in rural areas, individuals have a harder time maybe getting into a therapy session right away or getting into a provider right away,” Janousek said. “Anyone can call in and utilize that service, which makes it a little bit more accessible than maybe driving several minutes — sometimes hours — to get to a provider right away.”
Mobile crisis teams are available to visit 988 callers they are concerned about, though Janousek said less than 5% of calls need that response.
“In 95% of the calls that we receive, we’re able to get those individuals deescalated without having to involve an emergency response or something of that nature,” Janousek said.
Erika Thomas, public information officer for the Lincoln Police Department, said people in crisis can be connected to the 988 Lifeline through 911.
“When they’re in crisis, they may not know the various agencies to reach out to or the various different phone numbers, but they know 911.” Thomas said. “So, when they call 911, we want to be able to get them to the best resources possible, whether that’s a mental health professional in person or a licensed crisis counselor over the phone.”
Thomas said operators can easily transfer callers to the crisis line when law enforcement isn’t needed. In Lincoln, if someone needs emergency intervention, the police department can send out an officer with a mental health professional called a co-responder.
Nebraska DHHS also operates a website identifying same-day behavioral health services, a free Narcan program to address overdoses and a recovery-friendly workplace initiative.
“In light of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re really just encouraging people to look out for resources, look out for one another, and just reach out and do any kind of thing that you can do to help support somebody that may be struggling or trying to cope with a stressful situation,” Janousek said.
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