LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – If you need emotional support, help is as close as your cell phone.
Prevention Awareness Support Services, or PASS, shared that message Tuesday at Lima Central Catholic by encouraging students to save 988 in their phone contacts. The organization is visiting 10 Allen County high schools to speak with students about mental health and available support.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline connects people experiencing mental health challenges, suicidal thoughts, or substance abuse with trained counselors. PASS hopes that by reaching high school students directly, they’ll understand they are not alone—and that help is only a call or text away.
The organization is visiting 10 Allen County high schools to speak with students about mental health and available support.
“Around our age, there's a lot of depression and there's a lot of suicide, and it's just really good to have a help line ready to go on your contacts, because you never know what anyone's going through,” says Makiya Goodman, a Junior at Lima Central Catholic.
“It's so important that they have the resources right at hand, 988, and what's new right now is, not only is it a phone line, but it's also the text like so you can call or text that message to make sure you get the appropriate help you need, or our friends,” says Donna Dickman, Prevention Awareness Support Services.
When you call or text 988, your message is routed to a local call center. If needed, trained professionals can then guide you to additional area resources for support.
