 Summer has arrived and Appalachian Wireless has a great sell on the world's hottest smartphone from now to the end of the month. You can get the amazing iPhone 13 for more than half off because we are you. We are Appalachian Wireless. Governor Andy Beshear announced July 18 that Kentucky has launched an easy to remember three-digit mental health crisis hotline, 988. The hotline will connect Kentuckians facing risk of suicide, mental health distress, or an addiction crisis to a trained counselor. 988 is available 24-7 and counselors respond to calls, chats, or text messages directly. For the longest time we've had a very long 10-digit number to call when someone's experiencing suicidal thoughts or any sort of mental health crisis. But now with 988 they just have three simple numbers to remember, very comparable to 911 for a medical emergency. Using these resources is very important because I don't think people understand how prevalent mental health issues really are and people need encourage to reach out when they need help and there's an abundance of resources for people who need help. They just need to reach out and be encouraged to reach out. According to Mental Health America over 700,000 adults and over 30,000 youth in Kentucky are experiencing a mental illness. The added chat and text feature will give important access to youth and offer increased accessibility to those not comfortable making a call. I think 988 is very important to have because again, you know, it really simplifies the means to reach out for help when you really need it. We have seen a major increase in the prevalence of mental health of substance use and suicide overdoses all across the board largely, I believe, due to the pandemic. And people need to know that they can dial 988 now and be connected with the counselor. They do not have to sit at home and go through crisis by themselves. We are there for them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, weekends and holidays. 988 is available via call or text 24-7, 365 days a year and free of charge. For more information on 988, visit 988.ky.gov. For Mountaintop News, I'm Brianna Robinson.