Get To Know 988, The New Mental Health Crisis Hotline

There is a new national suicide hotline, which has expanded its focus to help callers experiencing a range of mental health emergencies. Launched July 16th, people who are experiencing mental distress will be able to dial just three numbers to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

National suicide hotlines have existed for years, but who can remember anything these days? And how many people in crisis may not be thinking to look up hotline numbers in a search engine when they are in distress?

Simply out, 9-8-8 is easy to remember just like 9-1-1 or 4-1-1. It may seem trivial but in crisis, that short three number combination can be a life saving way to reach trained counselors who can help people cope with a mental health emergency, and direct them to additional resources for mental health and substance use treatment.

“It’s a new number, but it’s not a new service,” said John Draper, the executive director of the Lifeline and an executive with Vibrant Emotional Health, a New York-based nonprofit, which administers the Lifeline.

According to the New York Times, "The line will be referred to as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, to emphasize that the service is for people experiencing a mental health crisis of any kind, not just those involving suicidal ideation."

Anyone experiencing a mental health or substance use issue can call 988. Counselors on the other end of the hotline are trained in handling a wide range of mental health issues, including self-harm, addiction and suicidal ideation, said Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“If someone has been through a traumatic event and is struggling to process it — and there are traumatic events happening throughout this country — this is a place to turn to,” she said.

For the full article by the New York Times, click here.

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