211
FirstLink answers the 211 phone line serving the entire state of North Dakota and Clay County, MN. Simply dial 211 or text your zip code to 898-211 for free, confidential referrals to resources, listening and support, and crisis intervention.
988
If you are thinking about suicide or worried about another, there is hope. Dial the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and speak with a call specialist.
Texting
If you are thinking of suicide and do not want to call or your situation prevents you from being able to call, text. Text your zip code or ND4me to 898-211 for FirstLink’s text line.
Follow-Up Calls
FirstLink can offer follow-up calls to those that need additional support. Receiving follow-up calls is voluntary. We can provide a follow-up and tailor these calls to individual needs.
Individuals are welcome to call about a variety of needs including, but not limited to:
Abuse/Assault
Addiction
Congregate Meal Sites
Counseling
Disability
Emergency Shelter
Employment
Faith Communities
Financial Assistance
Grief Food Baskets
Gambling
Government
Healthcare
Legal
Medical
Medication Assistance
Mental Health
Senior Centers
Military and Family
Support
Parenting
Recreation
Relationships
Rental Assistance
Self-injury
Sexuality
Schools
Substance Abuse
Suicide
Support Groups
Transportation
Utility Assistance
Victim Services
Volunteer Opportunities
Youth
FAQs
Who should utilize FirstLink?
- Families seeking services for their children
- Seniors seeking legal assistance, benefits help, volunteer opportunities
- Businesses helping an employee find resources to help their family
- Disaster victims seeking information
- Teachers, clergy, and agency staff seeking help for their clients
- Anyone seeking services in their community
What happens when I call the Lifeline?
First you will hear an automated message explaining options while your call is routed to your local lifeline network crisis center. A trained crisis worker at your local center will answer the phone. This person will listen to you, understand how your experience is affecting you, provide support and link you to the help you need.
What can I talk about?
You can call the lifeline to talk about a variety of topics. People call to talk about substance abuse, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, abuse, depression, mental and physical illness and loneliness, to name a few.
Will the Lifeline phone number appear on my phone bill?
Whether the Lifeline phone number will appear on your phone bill depends on your phone carrier. Please contact your phone carrier to ask how 1-800 toll-free numbers will appear on your phone bill.
If I call the Lifeline will my phone call always be directed to FirstLink?
Phone numbers starting with a 701 and some with the 218-area code will initially be directed to FirstLink. If the call specialists at FirstLink are already on a lifeline call, your phone call will be directed to a backup National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Center.
If I talk about suicide will you send the police to check on me?
It is rare for a call specialist to contact police, and in most cases, can de-escalate the situation or come up with a safety plan with the contact. Sometimes there are situations where confidentiality might be broken in order to keep people safe, but this happens very infrequently.
I am worried about someone. What do I do?
If you are worried about someone that might be thinking of suicide FirstLink can help plan for safety. FirstLink can offer a 3rd party call. We can gather information and details over the phone, offer non-judgmental listening and support and referrals for resources. FirstLink can also offer to make an outgoing call to the person that you are worried about and assess for risk of suicide, make a safety plan, and offer programs and referrals to resources. We keep information confidential from the original contact and the person at risk.
Should I call the Lifeline?
No matter what challenges you are facing, whether or not you are thinking about suicide, if you need someone to lean on for emotional support, call the Lifeline.
Can I try calling the Lifeline?
Absolutely yes! Feel free to dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to try out the service. You can simply tell the call specialist that answers that you wanted to try out the service to see what to expect when calling. You can call for yourself or call with a family member or friend to encourage them to use the service 24/7, call with your clients or students so they know what to expect when calling in.
Is the Lifeline available in other languages for non-English speakers?
Yes. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has a Spanish Language line at 1-888-628-9454. We also provide Tele-Interpreters service to our crisis centers, which supports over 150 languages.
How long will the call last?
The goal is to help you feel supported and safe. The call can last as long or as short as needed.
How is 988 different from the Lifeline?
988 is not a new service, but instead builds and expands upon the existing service of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which has been in operation since 2005. The new, shorter, 988 phone number will make it easier for people to remember and access mental health crisis services. (The current Lifeline 10-digit number will continue to function.) Like the national Suicide prevention Lifeline, 988 Lifeline responds 24/7 to calls, chats or texts from anyone who needs support for suicidal, mental health, and/or substance use crisis, and connects those in need with trained crisis counselors.
