Thanks to the generosity of the Connexus Cares Foundation, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Northwoods has initiated a 988 billboard campaign throughout their tri-county service area. Billboards reminding people of Wisconsin’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline service, which answers calls, texts, and chats that come from residents throughout the state, will be displayed in Lincoln, Langlade, and Marathon Counties.
The 988 Wisconsin Lifeline service is operated by Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, an agency based in Green Bay, with trained counselors serving throughout the state. Counselors are trained to listen and support people through their distress with a focus on de-escalation and coping skills, a press release from NAMI Northwoods said. Some of the counselors and staff are bilingual, and third-party interpreters for more than 240 languages and dialects are available 24/7 for calls to 988. Counselors answer and respond to calls, texts, and chats as quickly as possible to minimize wait times between initial contact and counseling. The program is supported and funded by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.