TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
A new three-digit phone number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now in place, enabling individuals to receive help and support by just calling 988.
Dialing these three numbers will instantly connect callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the same way that simply dialing 911 connects callers to their local emergency dispatch center.
988 will be staffed 24/7 in the United States via a national network of more than 180 crisis centers with trained counselors and will provide free, confidential emotional support and help to individuals having a mental health crisis or substance abuse issue, experiencing emotional distress, or thinking of suicide. Callers can call themselves or on behalf of others.
Nearly $300 million in federal funding provided the means to create the three-digit initiative and connect the centers nationally to facilitate this support network.
Since the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 10-digit number was launched in 2005, it has received more than 20 million calls. The new 988 number will make it faster and easier for individuals in crisis to get help.
In the U.S., suicide was one of the three leading causes of death in young people ages 10-24 in 2020. Nearly 46,000 people died by suicide in 2020.
If you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts, extreme depression, emotional distress, substance abuse problems, or any other issue you cannot handle on your own, call 988 for help. Any day. Any time. Get connected with a trained crisis counselor.