Wisconsin call center sees volume increase since launch of 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Wisconsin is seeing an increase in people asking for mental health help. Health officials say calls to the state’s suicide and
crisis lifeline have skyrocketed since the number changed to 988. When someone in Wisconsin calls 988 for help, the phone
rings at Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin. It’s the call center for the entire state’s crisis hotline, and calls have picked
up in the past year. In 2021, the call center answered 1,100 calls a month. After 988 federal legislation passed in July, the
call volume increased to 4,500 per month. In January 2023, the call center took 5,000 calls, which is the average total of calls a
month