September 8 Marks the Third Annual 988 Day: Help Is Three Digits Away

On September 8, 2026, New Mexico joins communities across the nation in recognizing the third annual 988 Day, an opportunity promoted by the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) to increase awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and remind New Mexicans that help is available whenever life becomes overwhelming.

The significance of the date itself makes the message easy to remember: 9/8 is 988 Day.

988 Day allows us not only to share a telephone number, but also to change the way we think and talk about mental and emotional health.

The message is simple: Anyone. Any struggle. Any time.

You can help share the message professionally in key communication areas. The NMDOH has created this Zoom background (insert link to download) to help recognize 988 Day. Download the Zoom background image.

By calling or texting 988, New Mexicans can connect with trained crisis professionals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is free and confidential, and a person does not have to be suicidal to reach out.

Someone may contact 988 because of anxiety, depression, grief, loneliness, family difficulties, financial worries, substance use, or simply because life has become too difficult to manage alone.

Family members and friends can call, too. If you’re worried about a spouse, child, friend, neighbor, or coworker and don’t know what to do, 988 can help you determine the next step.

Why 988 Matters in Lincoln County

In rural communities such as ours, accessing behavioral health care can sometimes be challenging. Distance, transportation, limited providers, and concerns about privacy can all become barriers to seeking help.

• 988 provides another doorway.

• A person can reach out from home, work, or wherever they are when they need someone to listen.

• And reaching out doesn’t have to wait until a crisis becomes an emergency.

  
  

That may be one of the most important messages we can share this 988 Day. Mental health deserves the same attention we give physical health. We don’t have to wait until someone reaches a breaking point before offering help.

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988 or 911?

Knowing which number to call can also make seeking help less intimidating.

988 is specifically designed for mental health, emotional distress, suicide and substance-use concerns and connects callers with trained crisis professionals.

911 remains the appropriate number when an immediate emergency response from law enforcement, fire or emergency medical services is necessary.

For many people experiencing emotional or behavioral health distress, 988 provides a place to begin a conversation.

Help Is Available in Different Ways

New Mexicans can call 988 or text 988 to reach the Lifeline. Spanish-language and other accessibility services are also available, as are specialized services for veterans, service members, and their families.

Most importantly, you don’t have to know exactly what kind of help you need before making the call.

You can just say, “I’m having a hard time.”

This September 8, Share 988

For the third annual 988 Day, the Lincoln County Community Health Council encourages our communities to help make these three numbers as recognizable as 911.

Save 988 in your phone.

Talk about it with your children and grandchildren. Share it with a friend who may be struggling. Post it on social media. Display it in workplaces, schools, churches and community organizations.

And remember it for yourself.

None of us knows when we, a family member, a neighbor, or a friend may need someone to listen.

This September 8, help us spread a message throughout Lincoln County:

You don’t have to face a difficult moment alone.

Call or text 988.

Sometimes three numbers can be the beginning of hope.

This September 10, Glow Walk 

The Annual Community Glow Walk in Mescalero is a powerful, hope-filled event hosted during National Suicide Prevention Month to illuminate mental health awareness, honor loved ones lost, and offer solidarity to those in crisis. Organizers invite community members, families, and friends to light up the night wearing bright colors and carrying glow sticks—a visual reminder that even in the darkest moments, no one has to walk alone. 

Beyond raising vital awareness around suicide prevention and mental wellness, the evening serves as a sacred space for tribal unity, fostering open conversation, resilience, and compassionate support hand in hand. The walk follows with a candlelight vigil. For more information, contact Shannon Dictson at 575-464-7106

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