Rally at Louisiana State Capitol highlights suicide prevention efforts

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — State officials, advocates and community members gathered on the steps of the Louisiana Capitol Monday morning for the second annual — and first-ever official — 988 Rally.

The event marked Sept. 8 as “988 Day,” a date Gov. Jeff Landry has designated during Suicide Awareness Month to promote the state’s role in the national suicide prevention hotline.

“Via Link is a nonprofit in Louisiana. We answer 988, which is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. A lot of people don’t know that it’s a local service,” said Sherrard Crespo, vice president of external affairs for Via Link.

Crespo, who began as an intern before moving into leadership, said the work inspired her after hearing stories about lives saved through the hotline.

“Seeing everybody really take the effort to come together and say, we are one state, we do care, we are ending stigma around mental health and suicide — and we’re doing it together, not separated,” Crespo said.

Resources and organizations from across Louisiana, some traveling hours to attend, lined the Capitol grounds to educate the public on suicide prevention and mental health.

Organizers said hosting the rally at the state Capitol for the first time carried a message for lawmakers about the need to keep the hotline funded.

“At the end of this funding, we need a plan in Louisiana so that we can keep operating 988 24 hours a day,” Crespo said. “It’s really important to be answered in state. You just get so much better services.”

The hotline, which provides 24/7 crisis support, also reduces strain on hospitals and law enforcement, according to organizers.

“We de-escalate over 98% of calls. That is thousands and thousands of people who did not need to go to the emergency room unnecessarily,” Crespo said. “That also saves time and effort on our police force, on our ambulances. So it isn’t even just behavioral health.”

Officials and advocates stressed that 988 is more than a number — it’s a lifeline.

“If you have thoughts of suicide, nobody has to keep silent about that,” Crespo said. “You never have to go through anything alone.”

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