Beginning Saturday, Georgians experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis will have a new hotline they can call for help. The 988 number is designed to quickly connect callers to trained telephone counselors who can triage the caller’s needs and secure additional phone or in-person mental health resources if needed.
The national hotline has been in the works for several years.
Organizers say the hope behind 988 is to create an emergency number that’s as easy to remember and dial from anywhere as 911 while also better addressing the country’s growing need for mental health assistance.
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