CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – North Carolinians struggling with mental health will soon have new support resources at their fingertips. The new phone lines will open in the state on Tuesday.
Many people are familiar with 988, the number people can dial if they are experiencing a mental health crisis. The new phone line is a little different and aims to connect people in recovery with those still suffering.
Holly Doggett is National Alliance on Mental Illness (Nami). A large part of her story is about her own mental health.
“I needed someone to tell me there was hope,” she said. “We struggled to find the right resources and the right treatments.”
Through her journey, she became involved in finding solutions for mental health. She calls herself a “peer,” or someone you can empathize with. This is the basis for a new telephone line called the “peer warmline.”
“Being able to connect with other people who have mental health and substance use issues,” Kelly Crosby says. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) stated. “Maybe they're people who have found their own recovery journey. They've figured out how to game a system that can confuse and worry people.”
The Peer Warmline works in conjunction with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The state says it has received more than 97,000 calls, with nearly half of the calls coming from repeat callers.
“What we need is someone to just listen,” Doggett said. “When someone answers your phone, knowing they are going through something similar to you and coming from a non-judgmental place… that means a lot. ”
Both the new hotline and the current 988 Crisis Lifeline are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To access this number, dial 1-855-PEERS NC (855-733-7762) or select the option when calling 988.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to raise awareness of the new support line will be held Tuesday morning in Charlotte.
Related: NC announces peer support phone line for people struggling with mental health and substance abuse
Copyright 2024 WBTV. All rights reserved.
