‘Anytime, anywhere, to anyone.’ Centre Helps’ call volume has tripled 2 years after 988 launch
Every day, dozens of phone calls are routed to a small residential house-turned-nonprofit on South Fraser Street in State College. There, in a small room with only two desks and a couch, volunteers help callers work through any and every crisis, including those struggling with mental health or suicidal ideation.
Centre Helps is one of 12 call centers in Pennsylvania associated with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The free hotline can be accessed 24/7 by texting or calling 988, where callers will be connected to a trained professional and connected with resources if needed.
On Wednesday, local and state officials visited Centre Helps to speak about the hotline as part of National Suicide Prevention Month.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services secretary Val Arkoosh, alongside state Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, and county commissioners Mark Higgins and Amber Concepcion, spoke with staff about the 988 program and volunteer training.
Arkoosh said Centre Helps has the highest answer rate of any of the state’s call centers, and providing a way for people to speak openly when in crisis is vital for suicide prevention.
“We know now from lots of studies, that if someone is thinking about suicide or making a plan, that just by being asked by somebody that is a friend, a neighbor, a loved one, somebody on the call line, ‘are you thinking about harming yourself?’ just asking that question and knowing that someone’s there to listen can be the thing that turns it around,” Arkoosh said. “So someone should never be afraid to ask.”
Since the 988 program was instituted in 2022, Centre Help’s call volume has tripled. Executive Director Denise McCann said the organization’s 60 volunteers help answer nearly 10,000 calls a year through both the local community help hotline and the 988 number.
“988 is the only free mental health service that’s available anytime, anywhere, to anyone,” McCann said. “That’s what I stress. You don’t have to qualify, you don’t have to fill out paperwork, you don’t have to do insurance, nothing. It’s free and it’s available.”
Concepcion said she hopes people will understand that the 988 hotline and Centre Helps is available for everyone in the community and urged people to reach out when in need.
“They’re here for a reason,” she said. “They want your calls, whether it’s because you’re experiencing a mental health crisis or you have significant needs and you’re not sure how to access food or housing or medical.”
In addition to 988, Centre Helps can be reached 24/7 at 814-237-5855.