News & Events

The Helpline Center in partnership with the Department of Social Services created this 988 Community Education and Awareness Toolkit to share marketing and educational resources about 988 in South Dakota. We encourage you to use the materials in this toolkit to share information about 988 with your communities. The resources in this toolkit have been created to provide information to the public. With these materials, you can help members of your community learn:

• What is 988
• How 988 can help
• When to contact 988
• How to contact 988
• And more!

Check it out here: 988 Toolkit

For more than a half a century, we’ve connected people in need to the resources they need. With thousands of calls answered each year, we’re continuing our mission to make lives better by giving support, offering hope and creating connections all day, every day.

Throughout the year, we’ll be celebrating in fun and unique ways and we hope you’ll stay tuned and join us! 

Click on the image below to see our awesome infographic, and learn more about the history of the Helpline Center.

In honor of our 50th Anniversary, we’re going to celebrate with fun events throughout the year.  Join us at Remedy Brewing Company on Wednesday, February 7th for bingo fun!  We’ll kick off at 6:00 and conclude around 8:00.  It’s free to play and you’ll have a chance at some fun prizes, all while helping us spread the word about the Helpline Center.  Hope to see you there!

The Helpline Center offers a variety of support services for survivors of suicide loss.  One of the ways we support survivors is through our monthly support groups.  We provide a safe, confidential space that looks to provide hope to survivors no matter where they are at in their journey.  There is an in-person and virtual support group available.

In-person Group

• Dates: Third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. CST
• Location: 3817 S Elmwood Ave | Sioux Falls, SD 57105
• There is no fee or registration required. Must be 18 years old to attend.

Virtual Group

• Dates: Second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CST
• Location: Online
• There is no fee but registration is required. Must be 18 years old to attend.
• Please register here.

Surviving After Suicide Class

Our class is a nine week education and support based class for adults designed to support survivors as they express and seek to understand the powerful grief they experience. Each class focuses on a unique aspect of survivor grief and is followed by a support session allowing members to share their stories. There is no fee for the materials or class.  Registration is required and you can complete an online registration prior to the next class session. Classes begin each January, April and September. 

If you have any questions please email us at griefsupport@helplinecenter.org

This is your reminder that you’re not alone, and there is always hope and help. 

The 988 Lifeline staff at the Helpline Center are always available to support you, 24/7/365. The holidays aren’t merry and bright for all, and if you’re facing stress in your relationships, anxiety, stress, depression, or any negative thoughts, we are here. 

Call, text or chat 988.

Grow Sideburns for Charity!

Sioux Falls is kicking off “Novem-Burn for Hope,” raising both funds and awareness for the Operation Hope Fund as the community is invited to join a number of city officials who will grow sideburns throughout the month — an attempt to emulate Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum. Every November, officials grow out their facial hair for the fundraiser Novem-Burn. Funds raised from the event go back to the Hope Fund. Officials with the City of Sioux Falls are starting their facial hair fundraising effort Novem-burn.

The month-long fundraiser will benefit Operation Hope, a fund that works with the Link Triage Center and the Helpline Center to help those struggling with addiction, anxiety, and depression.

Donations can be made through the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation or to @NovemBurnForHope on Venmo.

Emma Benoit is a powerful and engaging motivational speaker,
whose miraculous story and message of hope inspires audiences of all ages. 

Emma Benoit became extremely passionate about suicide prevention after surviving a suicide attempt in 2017, the summer before her senior year in high school. At the time, she was a popular varsity cheerleader with a supportive family and lots of friends, but on the inside, she was filled with depression and anxiety, and had never told a soul about it.  Her attempt resulted in a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed but helped her find faith and purpose; and propelled her on a mission to use her painful experience and miraculous recovery to help others.

Emma serves as an Ambassador for LivingWorks, the world’s leader in suicide prevention training and in December of 2020, Emma was a featured guest on Jada Pinkett Smith’s hit show “Red Table Talk”; and she has also been featured on numerous other news programs and podcasts.

The Helpline Center is honored to bring Emma to Sioux Falls, thanks to our partnership and the generous donors of The 437 Project.

To learn more, and register head to: www.helplinecenter.org/emma

The Helpline Center is celebrating the one year anniversary of 988, a direct connection to compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress. 988 is available 24/7 to provide help and hope for people having thoughts of suicide, a mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.

988 launched on July 16, 2022, and since then more than 7, 500 people have called, texted, and chatted with 988 Mental Health Counselors. When South Dakotans call, text or chat 988, they are connected to trained crisis counselors at the Helpline Center who listen to concerns, provide support, connect to additional resources and provide follow up care.

A few highlights from the last year:

• 988 counselors have connected with a wide range of people from across the age spectrum from 12 years to 80 years and have talked with people from every county in the state.
• We’ve supported people struggling with deep grief, addictions and those in need of a comforting and listening ear, along with folks who are struggling to just get through the day.
• One of our callers recently said, “Thank you for being here to listen when it feels like nobody else would be”.
• We recently heard back from one of our callers through a friend that described the 988 service, “They are my angels. They saved my life and now I’m getting help. They really do care.”

In South Dakota, 988 is a partnership between the Helpline Center and the South Dakota Department of Social Services – Division of Behavioral Health. Both entities remain steadfast in our work to provide help and hope to individuals when it’s needed most. Please join us in sharing this important information about 988 and together we can continue to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction.

Each year more than 48,000 people die in the United State by suicide, leaving thousands of parents, siblings, wives, husbands, sons, daughters and friends to survive the tragic loss. The Helpline Center has offered support to those bereaved by suicide loss since 1999 and now, thanks to funds raised through The 437 Project, we’re able to expand how we can meet individuals in their grief.

We’re happy to announce the launch of a new website designed with the goal of providing hope and help to even more suicide loss survivors. There are many new features on the site and we encourage you to take a look and help us spread the word!

Healing After a Suicide Loss booklet
In Remembrance page
Resource Library

In addition to the website and resources, we will begin offering a virtual support group online on the 3rd Wednesday of each month via Zoom.  We truly want to support individuals across South Dakota and we hope these new opportunities will provide just that.

To learn more about our survivor resources or our virtual support group, please email griefsupport@helplinecenter.org.