YOUNGSTOWN — For those who are contemplating suicide or know someone who is, help is only three digits away.

“The biggest thing is, suicide is preventable, and there are people on the other side of the line who are trained in best practices in suicide intervention,” Vince Brancaccio, Help Network of Northeast Ohio’s chief executive officer, said.

Brancaccio was referring to the national 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, which was implemented after a “soft launch” in July 2022 as a resource to assist those who may be suicidal or have a family member, friend or other loved one who is in such a crisis.

Also, September was National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month.

Help Network’s 988 service covers Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Ashtabula counties, he noted.

Those who call 988 will talk to “a qualified person” who is fully trained in crisis intervention and suicide-prevention techniques. Specifically, those assisting callers demonstrate empathy, show compassion and concern while being nonjudgmental, use active listening, are respectful and professional, provide options and refrain from attaching labels to callers, Brancaccio, who began at Help Network in 2014, explained.

Because the 988 system is a nationwide resource, callers will be routed to the center nearest to the area code from which their cellphone originated. For example, if a caller who is in crisis or suicidal is a Youngstown State University student but has a phone with a California area code, that person will be routed to a help center in that area code.

For that reason, such callers are encouraged to contact Help Network directly at 330-747-2696, which is the local suicide crisis number, Brancaccio said.

In addition, Ohio has 19 988 suicide hotlines. Of those, four — including Help Network — are blended centers, meaning they provide 988 and 211 services, he continued. The 211 line offers callers general information and referrals for resources to assist with essential needs that include finding food and assistance for preventing utility shutoffs.

Duane J. Piccirilli, the Mahoning County Mental Health & Recovery Board’s executive director, echoed that view, saying that those in the Mahoning Valley region who call 988 and 211 can speak to the same trained professionals for guidance to address a wider array of needs. That setup is vital largely because those who are facing the daunting prospect of having their utilities disconnected because they can’t afford to pay the bills, for example, also can easily be in crisis, Piccirilli said.

“It’s a lifesaver; it’s a game changer,” he said, adding that such a feature is “not the case in most of Ohio.”

Piccirilli, however, added he’s pleased with how the state has rolled out and promoted the 988 service, including having hired Doug Jackson, the 988 administrator with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Service’s Office of Community Planning and Collaboration.

Help Network adheres to a six-step crisis intervention model to assist those who are contemplating suicide: establishing a rapport to identify their feelings and thoughts; asking pointed questions such as whether they are considering suicide and if so, determining if they have a plan and the means to carry it out; and exploring the problem while ascertaining their lethality level, Catherine R. Grizinski, associate director, noted.

“A very small percentage who call 988 actually have a plan and the means available,” she said, adding that on occasion, outside intervention is needed for someone who is determined to be at high risk of suicide.

The other three components of the model are identifying callers’ main issues, focusing on one that can be resolved and adopting a safety plan and plan of action with them that includes taking advantage of available resources for further assistance. With callers’ permission, Help Network will contact them 24 or 48 hours after the initial call to see how they’re faring, Grizinski explained.

The 988 crisis lifeline is a valuable tool for Help Network, but it also is supplemental to the outreach and life-saving work the agency has always done since its establishment in 1971 — the primary part of which is being there for people who are in emotional pain and suffering through trauma and other hardships, she continued.

Since the 988 system’s implementation 14 months ago, Help Network has seen a slight uptick in calls from those who are considering ending their lives, though it’s difficult to establish a direct cause and effect, Brancaccio said. Nevertheless, the most important and inherent value in the 988 resource lies in the fact that callers are aware that help is readily available to them, he explained.

“This is such a rewarding job because you’re saving lives every day,” Brancaccio said. “You’re working with people who (feel) hopeless, who may feel helpless and in despair, and we’re here to help them.”

Help Network also is interested in hiring additional staff. To inquire, email Danielle Adair, operations director, at dadair@helpnetworkneo.org.