988 will be the new three digit number for Suicide Prevention starting July 16th

Beginning July 16th, The National Suicide Prevention hotline will be launching a 3-digit number to connect people to free support. The new number 988 will make it easier for people to remember and get help more quickly.

Veteran, Service members and their families will also be able to dial 988 for mental health and suicidal crisis but will need to press option 1 to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Line.

Congress approved the national 988 number back in September of 2020 with a deadline to complete the rollout by this month. Unlike services like 911, calls to 988 does not currently use geolocation so calls and text will be routed by area code. The current 800 numbers will also stay active.

With the new number, there is hope that people with use the new 988 number for people having a mental health crisis instead of calling 911, according to the National Alliance for Suicide Prevention. This can be a comfort for those who have been traditionally profiled or unfairly treated by police.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration acknowledges that contacting the crisis hotline may still be a concern for those people however, according to their website “the 988 coordinated response is intended to promote stabilization and care in the least restrictive manner.” The website also states that “currently, fewer than 2% of Lifeline calls require connection to emergency services like 911.”

The National Suicide and Prevention Lifeline was founded in 2005 and consists of over 200 local and nationwide crisis centers. The centers are equipped to help people who are having a mental health or suicidal crisis. People can call, text or chat to get free and confidential support anywhere in the United States 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.