Since the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was established statewide on July 16, 2022, Ozark Center has seen a sizeable increase in calls by people suffering from a mental health crisis. 
 
Ozark Center, and entity of Freeman Health System, is one of 200 crisis centers established nationwide receiving 988 calls. The three-digit number is a simple, one-stop number open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  
 
“We don’t want people to be afraid to call if they are suffering from high job stress, parenting difficulties, struggling with an addiction or eating disorder – they can call for any reason,” said Debbie Fitzgerald, Director of Crisis Center. 
 
Over the last 12 months, Ozark Center received 1,000-plus 988 calls, a vast majority from Jasper, Newton, McDonald and Barton County residents. 
 
“That’s the reason why we want people to know that we are here and that it never hurts to call and talk to someone. There is no right or wrong answer to call,” Fitzgerald said. 
 
Each 988 call averages 20 minutes, while each 988 call is answered in less than 15 seconds. 
 
“An informed community is a safer community because we are losing about 49,000 Americans nationwide each year to suicide,” Fitzgerald said. 
 
In Missouri, suicide is among the top three leading causes of death in Missouri for men and women between the ages of 10 and 34. 
 
“I would like to see that number in our community, if possible, fall to zero,” Fitzgerald said. 
 
The Ozark Center-based call center achieved 100 percent answer rate during several months, despite receiving multiple calls at once, and for many other months they ranked in the 98 percent range. 
 
“We are so happy about that,” Fitzgerald said. “The message is clear: we’re here, we listen, we care, we want to help. You have nothing to lose by giving us a chance to help.”