Answering crisis calls: what it’s like to be on the other end of the 988 line

SALT LAKE CITY — “You have called the 988 Crisis Line. How may I help you?”

Diana Ballesteros Riano knows firsthand what it’s like to be on the listening end of that phone.

“It can be really hard to listen to some of those really tough situations,” she said.

When you call 988, you are connected with a live, trained mental health expert. Utah has around 100 crisis line workers. Riano, who is currently the SafeUT outreach coordinator, used to work for the Utah Crisis Line, answering phone calls from people in need.

“Everything that we do as a crisis worker is to help you and guide you through the process as you learn to identify your triggers, as you learn to identify better coping mechanisms that you can use,” she said.

As a crisis line worker, Riano would at times lead people through breathing or mindfulness exercises over the phone to help deescalate a situation. But her main role? Provide a safe space to have an open conversation. “We’re not judging you. We’re here to support you. And more importantly, we’re here to make sure that you don’t feel like all hope is lost,” she said.

“We have a very educated, passionate, and compassionate team of real people that are available around the clock to answer those calls, chats or texts for support,” said Rachel Lucynski, Director of Community Crisis Services for Huntsman Mental Health Institute.

Over the last year, 83% of calls made to 988 in Utah were resolved over the phone.

“We work with the individual by providing them resources,” Riano said. “We will create a crisis response plan, helping these individuals have a guide for if these feelings ever come back.”

Crisis workers can also refer callers to additional services. “We can connect them to mobile crisis outreach teams, crisis receiving centers, or potentially inpatient or emergency department resources,” Lucynski said.

When asked if Riano feels like she ever saved a life, she said she could think of 10 calls off the top of her head.

“Those are the calls that you remember. Those are the calls that you don’t want to forget,” she said. “And by the end of it, you can hear hope coming back. I’m very thankful that I was able to help someone.”

988 crisis workers are available 24/7. Your conversations with them are free and confidential.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health struggle, call or text 988.