National 988 suicide and crisis lifeline starts Saturday

The mental health version of 911 will launch on Saturday, July 16, and it is hoped this easy-to-use system will fill in the current gaps in crisis services. When everyone with phones in area codes with a 988 prefix had to start using a full area code when dialing locally, the reason was to prepare for a National Suicide and Crisis Network.

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route all callers in the United States to a national hotline, something mental health professionals hope will reduce barriers and encourage people to seek help.

When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. They are taking calls 24/7.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), mental illnesses are one of the most common health conditions in the United States. In this country alone, 1 in 5 Americans experience a mental illness each year and 1 in 5 children, currently or at some point during their life, have experienced a seriously debilitating mental illness. Looking at the entire population, 1 in 25 Americans live with a serious mental illness; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression.

The Lifeline’s network of over 200 crisis centers has been in operation since 2005, and has been proven to be effective. It’s the counselors at these local crisis centers who answer the contacts the Lifeline receives every day. Numerous studies have shown that callers feel less suicidal, less depressed, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking with a Lifeline counselor. In 2021, the lifeline received 3.6 million calls, chats and texts.

n 2020, bipartisan legislation in Congress mandated the launch of the 988 emergency number.