On Tuesday, the Department of Social Services reported its performance measures to the Government Operations and Audit Committee. Among its successes, DSS reports beating its targets in service through the 988 suciide/crisis hotline:
DSS says 98% of callers who need “Someone to Talk to” are stabilized via 988 and need no further service delivery, beating the DSS target of 90%. 76% of callers who need “Someone to Respond” get the help the need in the moment through a virtual crisis response, beating the DSS target of 65%.
The 988 hotline, implemented four years ago, appears to be reducing the nationwide suicide rate. But that national trend and DSS’s claimed success rates haven’t reversed a long upward trend in South Dakotans killing themselves:
South Dakota recorded 198 suicides in 2024, up 10 percent from 180 a year earlier, while its age-adjusted suicide rate ranked fifth-highest in the nation, according to federal and state data.
The South Dakota Department of Health’s annual suicide report confirmed the year-over-year increase.
The state’s age-adjusted rate was 22 deaths per 100,000 residents. Only Alaska, Wyoming, Montana and New Mexico ranked higher. Of South Dakota’s deaths, 117 involved firearms, or 59.1 percent.
The increase ran counter to the national trend. The U.S. suicide rate slipped from 14.2 per 100,000 in 2022 to 13.7 in 2024. At 22 per 100,000, South Dakota’s age-adjusted rate was about 61 percent above the national rate [Todd Epp, “South Dakota Suicide Rate Ranks Fifth-Highest as Deaths Rise 10 Percent,” Northern Plains News, 2026.09.09].
The 988 hotline may save lives, and DSS may be doing a lot of good for the people who call, but DSS may now need to get more South Dakotans to call 988 before doing something regrettable.