Nevada advocates want to make the 988 mental health hotline as familiar as 911

Thu, Sep 3, 2026 (2 a.m.) Editor’s note: This communicative includes treatment of intelligence wellness crises. If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize needs help, the nationalist termination and situation lifeline successful the U.S. is disposable by calling oregon texting 988. There is besides an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Local mental‑health advocate Christopher Aguilar was just 15 years old, sitting in a pew at his family’s church, when he first sensed something was wrong. The year was 2001, and without any warning he walked up to the pastor and asked if he could speak to the congregation. “He was like, ‘Is it the mode of the Lord?’ I said, ‘I think so.’ And then he just let me talk,” Aguilar recalls. “This is what doctors deemed a manic episode. So, I got a small bit of psychiatric help, but those medications spiraled me because they weren’t right for me. That’s when it got worse and I was hospitalized.” After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Aguilar landed several non‑professional acting roles before experiencing two further hospitalizations in 2015 and 2022. In 2017 he wrote *StanD*, a 30‑minute play exploring mental illness and stigma through the lens of growing up in a Filipino American family. It has since been staged at more than 30 schools and organizations across Southern California—one component of an advocacy résumé that also includes promoting Nevada’s 988 mental‑health crisis hotline. The hotline provides a free, 24‑hour alternative to 911 for mental‑health emergencies, linking callers with trained counselors via phone, text or chat. As September marks National Suicide Prevention Month, advocates like Aguilar aim to raise awareness of this resource in a state that Mental Health America ranked poorly nationwide for mental health in a 2025 report. Nevada’s 2024 suicide rate of 19.6 deaths per 100,000 residents remains well above the national average of 13.7, placing it 10th worst in the United States. Aguilar had heard about Nevada 988 when it launched in 2022, yet, like many who struggle with mental health, he initially hesitated to reach out when he truly needed help. “The first time I called, I recall just being at home and thinking all my advocacy work is not working,” he says. “I was hitting a real low, and I just wanted to end myself. So, I called the number. I recall being scared.” The counselor who answered reminded Aguilar to consult a personal safety plan he had already built using MY3—a free app that lets users list three trusted contacts and outlines coping strategies for crises. With his parents’ assistance, Aguilar took the necessary steps to secure his own safety. “Nevada 988 has the tools to get ahead of any concern before it becomes a crisis,” he says. “It’s people who can help navigate these emotions and feelings and connect you to other resources—a beautiful safety net.” Robin Reedy, interim executive director of NAMI Nevada, says Aguilar’s experience exemplifies what 988 was designed to achieve. The expanding network, operated by Carelon Behavioral Health under a state contract, fields roughly 5,500 calls each month. “So far, they’ve been able to resolve over 90% of the calls without having to go further, and less than 0.5% of calls end up having to have people travel assistance with outside services,” Reedy says. “That’s exactly what we want this to do, so that people aren’t going to the ER for costly services or being placed into a crisis center.” Reedy notes that the 988 line is not solely for those facing suicidal thoughts or immediate crises; family and friends are encouraged to call out of concern for a loved one. Non‑English speakers can request language support, and veterans can be transferred to the Veterans Crisis Line. She hopes to dispel the common misconception that the center can pinpoint a caller’s exact location and automatically dispatch law‑enforcement. “It’s for anyone that feels that they’re in crisis. We want people to call before they’ve reached that point,” she says, adding that she also hopes to see more young people use the service. Today Aguilar continues to seek partners to bring *StanD* to Nevada audiences. He has already written a sequel and is developing a third installment. That work, combined with his advocacy for 988, gives him purpose. “I want to remind other advocates that we are all human and we all struggle. You can call Nevada 988, even if you think you should be stronger and don’t need to,” he says. Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital version of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent straight to your inbox! Tyler Schneider joined the Las Vegas Weekly staff as a writer in 2025. His journalism career began with the ... Get much Tyler Schneider