SIOUX FALLS – The Department of Social Services (DSS) and its partner, The Helpline Center, are joining our nation’s celebration of 988 Day on Sept. 8, 2026.

The goal of 988 Day is to raise awareness about the availability of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. A variety of creative activities spearheaded by communities, organizations, and individuals are planned to accomplish this goal. In South Dakota, that means sharing stories of perseverance and encouraging people to seek out support, using this year’s theme, “988 Reasons: Your reason is reason enough.”

“Every person is a gift and deserves love and support. 988 provides an accessible resource for South Dakotans who may be struggling and need someone to turn to,” said DSS Cabinet Secretary Matt Althoff. “We hope through this day of recognizing 988, South Dakotans will continue to see 988 as an asset in our communities and remember to access it when experiencing acute needs.”

While 988 is available nationally, the network relies on each state to erect its own mental health resources to ensure crisis services are available. South Dakota’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Center is The Helpline Center, which provides 24/7 access to Master’s-level trained mental health professionals. Text and chat services are also available. In partnership with tribal leaders, South Dakota’s 988 resource also includes a Tribal Response Program that is focused on serving Native Americans, a demographic that is disproportionately impacted by suicide.

“988 Day recognizes that a simple three-digit number can offer support to people for many reasons. 988 is there to support people with any mental health, emotional distress, or substance use concern,” said Janet Kittams, chief executive officer at the Helpline Center. “The Helpline Center’s 988 team is available 24/7 to offer hope and compassionate care.”

The 988 service is working. Since the launch of 988 in July of 2022, more than 62,000 calls, texts, and chats have been answered by mental health counselors in South Dakota. More than 98 percent of 988 contacts were stabilized and didn’t require additional intervention. There has been a 360 percent increase in contacts from the first month (502 contacts in August 2022) to July 2026 (2,310 contacts).

For more information about 988 and The Helpline Center, visit https://www.helplinecenter.org/9-8-8/.