988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Missouri
ARE YOU IN CRISIS? FEELING OVERWHELMED? NOT SURE WHERE TO TURN?
ARE YOU IN CRISIS?
FEELING OVERWHELMED?
NOT SURE WHERE TO TURN?
What to Expect When You Contact
the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 to offer you free and confidential support whenever you need it. When you call 988, you will hear an automated greeting message that will prompt you to make a selection. You can either stay on the line for a crisis specialist, press one for the Veterans Crisis Line, press two for the Spanish network, or press three to speak with a LGBTQ+ affirming crisis specialist. 988 offers crisis support in English and Spanish, as well as translation services in over 250 languages. After you’ve made your selection, you will hear music while being quickly routed to a trained crisis specialist in Missouri. The crisis specialist will answer the phone, introduce themselves, and listen to you to understand what you are experiencing and how it’s affecting you. They will work with you to address your immediate needs, offer support, and connect you to local resources.
A similar process occurs when you text 988. When you send a text to 988, you will be asked to complete a short survey to share what you are experiencing. Texting 988 will start a real-time conversation with a local crisis specialist ready to assist you. Once you are connected, the crisis specialist will work with you to understand what you are going through and how it’s affecting you. They will work with you to address your immediate needs, offer support, and share resources that may be helpful. Texting is available in English and Spanish.
Chat is available in English and Spanish through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s website at 988lifeline.org/chat. When you chat 988, you will be prompted to complete a short survey to share what you are experiencing. You will then be connected to a crisis specialist who will work with you to understand what is affecting you, offer support, and share local resources.
Available 24/7, the 988 videophone allows individuals who identify as Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, or any American Sign Language (ASL) user to connect directly to ASL-Fluent 988 crisis specialists. You can dial 988 on your videophone or access it here.
Once connected, follow the prompts. You will be asked to answer some questions regarding your situation and what you are experiencing. Our crisis specialists will work with you to understand what is affecting you, offer support, and share local resources.
- Thoughts of suicide
- Emotional distress
- Substance use
- Worried about someone else
- Trauma
- General anxiety or depression
- Feeling lonely or hopeless
- Relationship or family problems
- Distress around sexual orientation
- Financial or job stress
- Trouble thinking clearly
We provide free and confidential support to people in crisis—for any reason, at any time—24 hours a day. Our trained crisis specialists offer non-judgmental support and comfort to anyone struggling.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis, call or text 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org/chat. You can also reach out to 988 if you are worried about someone you know. Crisis specialists and are trained to be sensitive to your individual and cultural needs. They can provide support to Veterans, Service members, and their families, Spanish-speaking individuals, the deaf and hard of hearing community, LGBTQ+ individuals, youth, and more. They are available to hear about life’s struggles, support your safety, discuss ways to help you cope, and connect you to resources. Whether you’re in distress or just want to talk about something on your mind, we’re here to help. No matter the type of crisis you or someone you know is experiencing, we hope that you will reach out to 988 anytime you need support.
For people who speak other languages, call 988 and you will be provided translation in more than 240 additional languages through Language Line Solutions.
- This is available 24/7 through voice calling only.
- When calling 988, you or one of your friends or family can ask for an interpreter in English if you are able or you can say the name of the language you need.
- You will then be connected with an interpreter.
- The connection to an interpreter typically takes about 20 seconds.
- Interpreters receive special training to provide this service over the phone and they follow a code of ethics related to confidentiality, accuracy, and impartiality.
CALL 988
AND STAY ON THE LINE
TO SPEAK TO A 988
CRISIS SPECIALIST
PRESS 1
TO BE CONNECTED
TO THE VETERANS
CRISIS LINE
PRESS 2
TO SPEAK TO A
SPANISH-SPEAKING
CRISIS SPECIALIST
PRESS 3
TO SPEAK TO A
GENDER-AFFIRMING
CRISIS SPECIALIST
Call 988 and stay on the line to speak to a crisis specialist
Press 1 – Veterans
Press 2 – Spanish-speaking
Press 3 – LGBTQ+ affirming
Chat with an ASL-fluent crisis specialist via videophone at
https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/for-deaf-hard-of-hearing/
