988 suicide hotline getting $282 million
WASHINGTON – People in crisis and those trying to help them will have a new phone number – 988 – to reach the national suicide prevention network starting in July. On Monday, federal health officials are announcing more than $280 million to smooth the transition from the 10-digit number to three digits.
Three-digit dialing to reach suicide hotline counselors has long been a goal for mental health advocates, lawmakers in Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the telecommunications industry. The Biden administration said it wants to help deliver an on-schedule launch this summer. The new 988 number will also handle text and chat.
Mental health experts are hoping the three-digit number will deliver a breakthrough in assisting people in crisis who might otherwise try to harm themselves. They predict call center demand will skyrocket once the new system is in place and people know about it.
People who call, text, or chat 988 will be able to reach trained counselors who belong to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. Counselors at more than 180 local centers listen to people in crisis and provide support, connecting them with other services as needed. According to the Lifeline, the new dialing code will be available throughout the country starting July 16.
Of the $282 million being announced Monday, $177 million will go to bolster and expand the existing crisis network’s operations and telephone infrastructure, including centralized chat and text response, backup capacity and a subnetwork for Spanish-speakers.
The rest of the money, $105 million, will go to build up staffing at local call centers.
Suicide had been the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 47,000 lives in 2019, but dropped to 11th in 2020, mainly because of the coronavirus pandemic, which killed at least 345,000 Americans and became the nation’s No. 3 killer.
Recently, the FCC voted unanimously to require phone companies to support texting to 988 as well.