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Share Your Experience with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline!


Have you or someone you know called, texted or chatted with the 988 Suicide or Crisis Lifeline during a mental health crisis? Have you volunteered to staff the Lifeline, or are you a first responder? Your experience and perspective can help policymakers understand what works and what doesn’t. More importantly, sharing your story can help decision makers understand how to make our crisis response system better. Share your story with NAMI to help fuel our advocacy for a comprehensive crisis response system that can help anyone, anywhere, at any time. 

While your story is always right, how you tell it can make it more impactful. When sharing your lived experience for advocacy, it is important to keep your story brief. Aim for 250-400 words.

7 Steps for a Successful Story
Writing a concise story can often be difficult. To help, follow the steps below. If you write 1-2 sentences for each, you will have a great start to your story.  
  • Introduce yourself. What is your connection to this story or mental health in general? Where are you from? What other items about you are key to your story?
  • What happened? It is a good idea to stick to one incident or event per story. If you would like to share multiple stories, you may submit this form as many times as you like.
  • Share what helped you. If you or your loved one weren’t able to get the help you needed, you can share what would have helped you instead.
  • Share how you are different today. How has this event impacted your life?

If you know what policies are needed in your community to improve the crisis response system, use these prompts to add to your story. If you aren’t sure, you can skip these steps.
  • What is the underlying need or problem? (For example, “Our community doesn’t have a mobile crisis team to respond in-person to mental health crises.” )
  • What will help others? (For example, “With funding, our community can launch a mobile crisis team so when someone calls 988, they can receive a non-law enforcement response if they need help in-person.”)
  • If you have a specific policy ask, make it here! (For example, “I urge Congress to invest in crisis response so that my community can have mobile crisis teams.”)

    By sharing your story, you agree that NAMI may use your story (in any part, full or edited) for the purpose of advocating. This may include sharing your story with the media, using your story in alerts or in letters to elected officials. NAMI will not use your full name or personal information in any way; we will only use your first name and last initial and your state. You also agree that NAMI may reach out to you with follow-up questions, for clarification, or to discuss additional opportunities to share your story. NAMI does not provide personal advocacy or legal services. If you need mental health resources, email info@nami.org or call 1-800-950-6264. If you or somebody you know is in a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline via phone or text at 988 (Deaf and Hard of Hearing: dial 711 then 988) or online chat 988lifeline.org.

    Share Your Story Using the 7 Steps

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