COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado's suicide rate consistently stays above the national average each year, but a new nationwide resource might help lower that number.
On July 16, the national mental health hotline, 988, launches. The number will connect anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to a trained counselor, and connect them with local resources if needed.
"Usually when you are in crisis or under a high amount of stress, your ability to have rational thought is really reduced, so the sooner that you're able to speak with someone to get help, the better," said Cassandra Walton, the Executive Director for the Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership.
For many families in Colorado Springs suicide hits close to home, since El Paso County has the highest suicide rate in the state.
Chanta Vasquez lost her 21-year-old son, Army Specialist Gianni Vasquez, in 2019 while he was stationed at Fort Carson.
"He just really was this shining light, like he was so silly and goofy and he made everyone feel that around him."
The 988 hotline comes about three years after Gianni's death, and for Vasquez time has not always made things easier.
"Suffering from depression myself, I'm almost thankful because I can understand in a way that I know that you can get so far into your hopelessness that you can do things that you wouldn't imagine to do."
Vasquez hopes the new hotline will offer a safe space for service members, and anyone else struggling with mental health, to turn to in a matter of seconds.
"I remember looking for websites, or places, or therapists and it's just so difficult and there's so much. You just kind of give up on it. But if... I can talk to so-and-so or someone... And it's not this stigma... Or it's a scary thing."
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