211 - Help Starts Here
The mission of the Helpline Center is making lives better by giving support, offering hope and creating connections all day, every day. We fulfill our mission through the following core service areas:
The Helpline Center began serving South Dakota in 1974. Over the years, the agency formalized from roles held by volunteers to hiring staff. We grew to offering support 24 hours a day, and we were the first location west of the Mississippi River to begin 211 service in 2001. The Helpline Center serves thousands of people every year by connecting individuals to resources and support, providing referrals, building community volunteers, offering hope to individuals with thoughts of suicide and supporting families bereaved by suicide loss. We support over 100,000 people each year. The Helpline Center is the only entity in the state accredited by Inform USA and the only organization in the state that provides a certified crisis line through the American Association of Suicidology.
