GALLUP, N.M. — The police chief in Gallup says they have been responding to an alarming amount of calls after someone has decided to end their own life.

“I addressed that issue with the city manager, as far as what we were dealing with,” Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo said.

The chief knew she needed to bring more attention to mental health resources in the area, including the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, 988.

“In our area, some people might not have phones, so how do I access 988? So that’s what we’re working on is having the public library able to be a place where individuals can go to seek that help for 988,” Toadlena-Pablo said.

Toadlena-Pablo, along with several city officials, came together for a new campaign to spread awareness about mental health resources available across the area. The city’s Behavioral Health manager, Debra Martinez, also took part.

“We talk to people about what they do to de-stress, you know, what do you do for self-care?” Martinez said.

Martinez said the city has been working on new outreach projects like a billboard and city-wide events.

Since the 988 number was unveiled in 2022, 40,000 New Mexicans have called it.

According to the New Mexico Human Services Department, McKinley County is one of the top five counties in the state with the most 988 calls per capita. Since the hotline changed to 988 in July of 2022, McKinley County has had over 1,200 calls.