The new national suicide hotline is now live! Here is what you should know about it replacing the old hotline number according to a recent article in Heathline
Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States and the 2nd leading cause of death in individuals ages 10 to 34
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number became ‘988’ on July 16 to make help-seeking in a moment of crisis more accessible.
- Experts have expressed concern that the Lifeline has already struggled to meet demand due to the increase in youth suicide rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Suicidality is especially high among Youth of Color and marginalized groups, including LGBTQ youth.
- Increased federal funding to 988 networks across the U.S. may help ensure call centers are prepared to handle the expected surge in calls to the new hotline.
The hope is that this new system will help to lower those rising numbers for young people, especially minority youth and LGBTQ youth.
The U.S. Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics have acknowledged the growing youth mental health crisis that’s been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and disproportionately affected Youth of Color and LGBTQIA+ youth. And prior research from the Trevor Project shows that LGBTQ youth are more than 4 times as likely to attempt suicide compared to their peers.
President Biden awarded $105 million dollars to states to staff these 988 suicide hotlines but there are fears that some states are still ill prepared. The states have been working to improve their crisis centers and increase their call center capacity. The good news is many states have had these systems in place for years under the older, limited system.
According to Manz, states could enhance call center preparedness by:
- recruiting and retaining qualified personnel to provide crisis services
- ensuring sustainable funding for call centers
When you call 988:
When a person calls 988, Gebbia explained they’ll be met with an automated greeting with options for Spanish speakers and veterans.
Next, their call is routed to the closest crisis center based on their area code and is connected to a trained counselor.
According to Gebbia, around 98% of calls are de-escalated over the phone with a counselor, and only 2% require an emergency dispatch.
