All across America, including here in the Golden Triangle, phone calls from those suffering from mental health to crisis centers have almost doubled over the past six  months.

Obviously, our nation and communities struggle to address mental health issues, as the increase in calls for help indicate. But in another respect, the surge in calls to crisis centers may indicate real progress in intervening in these crises.

In July, the first three-digit emergency number designated for mental health crises (9-8-8) went online nationally. Previously, those who sought out help for their mental health emergencies — suicidal thoughts, depression, manic behavior, drug abuse — needed to locate and dial a 10-digit phone number to get in contact with a counselor.

The new 9-8-8 system integrated more than 2,000 individual crisis call centers to an easy-to-remember three digit number that would route the calls to the nearest available crisis center.

By September, just two months after the 9-8-8 system went online, calls had increased by 45 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which administers the system.

HHS reported that in August, a month after the national 9-8-8 program was implemented, the system handled 361,140 total calls, chats, and texts to the hotline with an average answer speed of 42 seconds.

For those who find themselves in crisis, every second counts. Right now, raising awareness of the number is crucial.

As time goes by and the 9-8-8 number becomes something familiar to us all, perhaps it will become as well-known as 9-1-1.

Although it will be hard to quantify, there can be little doubt that this system will save lives.

Contact Helpline in Columbus is one of two Mississippi crisis centers in the 9-8-8 system.

What’s true nationally is true locally. In 2021, Contact Helpline fielded 582 calls. In 2022, it responded to 841. That number is likely to increase since 9-8-8 was in place for only five months in 2022.

Given that, Contact Helpline is in need of volunteers. If you have a background in mental health, that’s great. But even if you don’t, Contact Helpline will provide the necessary training. Often, the person on the other end of the line just needs someone who will listen. The provided training will equip volunteers for whatever assistance is needed beyond that. Once fully trained, volunteers can even field calls routed to their homes or cell phone numbers.

If you have a heart for those who struggle with mental health, volunteering with Contact Helpline is a great way to help. You can apply online at contacthelplinegtrms.org or call (662) 327-2968 for a volunteer application.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.