A new national mental health crisis hotline was launched over the weekend to provide immediate assistance to those in need and those seeking help for others.

SouthCoast residents are urged to remember the 988 hotline number.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline became available on Saturday. Its website states, "We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States."

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline "is committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals" and "building awareness" through a "national network of local crisis centers."

WBSM's Kasey Silvia wrote a piece in October 2020 about the region's growing mental health needs, made worse by the COVID pandemic. The article talks about the work done by Help and Hope SouthCoast. Help and Hope's website contains a complete list of mental health resources available to folks along the SouthCoast.

Kasey includes some tips in her article to "take control of your mental health."

Boston 25 News reports the hotline "provides information on specific topics such as maternal mental health, help for veterans, assistance for people in the LGBTQ+ community and even during the ongoing COVID pandemic."

Make sure everyone you know knows about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.