RALEIGH, N.C. (WHKY) – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is marking the fourth anniversary of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, reporting that use of the service has more than doubled since it launched in 2022.

The free service is available 24 hours a day by phone, text or online chat in English and Spanish for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, emotional distress, depression or thoughts of self-harm. Specialized services are also available for veterans and for people who are deaf or hard of hearing through American Sign Language video calls.

State officials say recent improvements include a Mobile Crisis Dispatch system that can send crisis teams or connect callers directly with local providers in parts of eastern North Carolina, along with new technology that helps 988 counselors quickly locate available mental health beds. Over the six months ending in May, the lifeline averaged nearly 16,000 calls, texts and chats each month, a 10 percent increase over the previous six months. The state’s Peer Warmline has also added text and chat services to provide ongoing support. If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available by calling or texting 988.