New Help for Those in Mental Health Crisis

Seeking help AARP Maryland wants state residents to know there is new help available for people in a mental health crisis.

By simply dialing or texting “988,” you can reach a trained counselor at a local or national crisis center. The counselor will assess the caller’s immediate needs and can connect the person with additional mental health services. The federal government launched the new phone number in July.

AARP Maryland successfully advocated in Annapolis for funding and resources to roll out the program in the state.

The 988 line is an important advance so people struggling with mental health issues can call “one easy-to-remember number to be rapidly connected to the help they need,” says Michael B. Friedman, a licensed master social worker based in Baltimore who has consulted with AARP Maryland on its mental health agenda.

Suicide claimed the lives of 584 Marylanders in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AARP has advocated for a more comprehensive approach to the behavioral health needs of the state’s older population. Stay apprised at aarp.org/md.