September is National Suicide Prevention Month. During this time, organizations across the country come together to provide people with the support, assistance, and care they need to prevent suicide from taking place through operations such as a suicide hotline.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is one of those organizations, and its website notes that Suicide Prevention Month is also, “a time to raise awareness, spread hope, and spark meaningful action around one of the most urgent mental health issues of our time.”
The urgency of that issue is mounting. In 2024, 48,824 people in the US died by suicide, and it’s currently the 10th leading cause of death among Americans. It’s a heartbreaking reality for residents in every state, including Texas. According to USAFacts, 4,490 Texans died by suicide in 2024—that equates to 14.2 people for every 100,000 residents in the Lone Star State.
Over the last two decades, suicide rates in Texas have increased by roughly 32.7%. It’s a difficult statistic to face and an even harder one to seemingly overcome, but one North Texas organization is doing its part to provide 24/7 support to those in need. The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas operates a continuous hotline to offer counseling to people experiencing a mental health crisis.
NBCDFW notes that trained volunteers and counselors man the phones all day and night, and they can be contacted directly by either calling 214-828-1000 or sending a text to 741741 saying “CONNECT.” From there, you’ll be connected to one of those trained individuals who can speak with you about what you’re experiencing and help you access the care and resources you need.
Last year alone, the organization received 1,500 calls and assisted residents even further through group therapy sessions. It’s a cause that’s close to executive director Lavida Davison’s heart, as her nephew died by suicide two years ago. Speaking with NBCDFW, Davison said, “They didn’t realize that, hey, we do have a local hotline that we can call. We do have a local place where I can go to get the support that I need.”
She added, “My goal is to see that even expand and grow larger. Right now we have the support group. I’m looking into doing a support group for the kids. If you lose your sibling or something like that, we got to reach all age groups. It just can’t be a specific group because, believe it or not, this is hitting everyone, regardless of our race, regardless of our financial stability, it’s hitting us all.”
How to help the organization running this suicide hotline on North Texas Giving Day
The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas’s website offers additional information and assistance for those who need it, including details on its Survivors of Suicide support group. If you’d like to help the organization reach its goals of preventing further deaths, it’s currently participating in the North Texas Giving Day fundraiser. As Lavida Davison told NBCDFW, those funds are one of the primary revenue sources for the center.
To donate through North Texas Giving Day’s website, click here and type “Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas” into the search bar. From there you’ll be able to select the organization then click the blue “donate” button to enter your donation amount, payment information, and name you’d like to be recognized by the organization. No amount is too small to make a significant difference in the lives of those in your community.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Related: The 5 cozy and adorable cat cafes in Dallas-Fort Worth
