Westchester County and St. Vincent's Hospital Increase 988 Lifeline Visibility to Help Those Struggling During the Holidays

Holiday Season Gives Rise to Increased Mental Health Concerns

 Westchester County continues to promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline through a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that will run on Optimum and FiOS cable systems from Thanksgiving through the New Year. The holidays are a joyful time for many, but for others they can be stressful, traumatic or even triggering.

The PSA, which is based on an actual call to the 988 Lifeline at St. Vincent’s Hospital Call Center, was produced free of charge by “A Journey Home Film.”  The PSA began airing on Westchester Optimum cable system in October, and has since aired over 500 times as part of the cable system’s community service allocations, all free of charge.

Utilizing funding from the Opioid Settlement lawsuits, the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) has purchased additional targeted spots, supplementing the community service allocations. The PSA is anticipated to air another 1700 times throughout the holiday season.

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “In 2024, nearly 18,000 people reached out and connected to the 988-call system, run in partnership with St. Vincent’s Hospital. During the holidays, it is so important to remind people about the 988 call system, and the positive results we have seen from those who have reached out. I thank ‘A Journey Home Film’ for their creative work to develop a PSA that makes an emotional impact on individuals, as well as special thanks to Optimum Media for their support of the project. This powerful 30 seconds can save lives, and if it helps one person, it has made an impact.”

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers immediate crisis intervention, emotional support, and information about local resources. The 988 Lifeline is a free, local and confidential service operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In Westchester County, callers are connected to trained professionals who can provide confidential support, local to them. The 988 Lifeline is open to everyone facing a crisis regardless of age, background or circumstance. Whether it is you or a loved one struggling with thoughts of suicide, dealing with addiction, or feeling overwhelmed, 988 is available. The Lifeline also provides support to LGBTQ+ individuals and veterans by connecting them to professionals trained in those areas.

DCMH Commissioner Michael Orth said: “I thank the County Executive for his continued commitment to families and individuals that face anxiety, stress, bullying, substance use or thoughts of self-harm. The stigma of suicide and mental health challenges remains in our society, and anything we can do to provide support and show people a way forward is significant. Westchester has allocated its share of the settlement funds to programs and projects that are making a real impact on the lives of our community members.”

DCMH Deputy Commissioner Joseph A. Glazer said: “The 988 Lifeline is exactly that, answering the call for help from more than 17,000 Westchester County residents each year. I applaud our shared commitment to increasing visibility and awareness of the program, and commend the diligent staff at St. Vincent’s 988 Call Center for the work they do and the caring they provide.”

St. Vincent’s Hospital is a division of St. Joseph’s Medical Center. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, call, text or chat 988.