KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When you drive around town, you’ll notice some new billboards promoting the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.

The billboards are to remind people that help is available if you are going through a mental health crisis.

Since going live last year, more than 5.5 million people have utilized the 988 hotline to get help.

Whenever you call 988, a trained clinician or therapist will answer and connect you with help in the Kansas City area. Some are connected to people who have gone through similar situations.

They will send out crisis counselors to your home right away, who will get you the resources you need to better handle whatever hardship you’re currently facing.

Shannon Moss, the clinical director of crisis services at ReDiscover, said 988 helps people get immediate help rather than waiting weeks to see an in-person counselor.

“One of the things that has been hard is that people say ‘Today is the day; today is the day that I need help,’ and I’m going to reach out, but then they reach out and I say, ‘OK, we can get you in in three weeks, we can get you in in two months.’ We wanted to eliminate that barrier. And so that is the purpose of 988,” Moss said.

More than 130 people take their life every single day, so if you are in a crisis, remember that you matter and help is available. Call 988 to get the help you need right away.