Federal regulators announced this week that a three-digit suicide prevention hotline number will soon make seeking emergency mental health help much easier.
Once fully implemented, U.S. residents will be able to call 988 for help in a mental health emergency, just as 911 connects people in need to first-responders for other emergencies.
Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 800-273-TALK (8255). That number routes callers to one of 163 crisis centers, where counselors answered 2.2 million calls last year.
Mental health advocates are not this a hotline, but a ‘warmline,’ giving mental health assistance before a crisis heats up.
“The three-digit number is really going to be a breakthrough in terms of reaching people in a crisis,” said Dwight Holton, CEO of Lines for Life, a suicide prevention nonprofit. “No one is embarrassed to call 911 for a fire or an emergency. No one should be embarrassed to call 988 for a mental health emergency.”
So far, the FCC has only proposed requiring all telephone service providers to accommodate the 988 number within 18 months. The next step is a comment period on the implementation, including the project’s time frame.
This means it could be mid-2021 before the program is available nationwide, but some providers may launch the 988 number sooner.
The Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741. National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255.
For additional Mental Health resources, you can always visit Razor’s Mental Health page at RazorWisconsin.com/MentalHealth
