After three years of effort from the Department of Human Health Services and the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs, a new number for a national suicide hotline is officially open and ready to save lives.
The previous 1-800-273-8255 number will still remain accessible but will be shortened to an easily dialable and textable 988. The line remains free and available 24/7 for those seeking help from trained counselors.
The new number is now placed alongside the widely known 911 and 211 numbers, making it a social service hotline.
The change comes to make the lifeline memorable and easily accessible during a crisis. The much-needed change could potentially save thousands of lives, and it’s a change we deem necessary.
We hold mental health with high importance and the widely blamed topic isn’t something to be ashamed of. Instead of blaming mental health, we should be finding ways, like the number change, to help those in need. Mental healthcare in America is expensive without insurance, and it shouldn’t be. We should prioritize lives and create access to care for the millions of Americans who struggle each year.
The hope is that the new three-digit code will lead to a spike in calls and become publicized, similar to when rapper Logic introduced his song “1-800-273-8255,” named after the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, providing a way to remember the long, previously intimidating number.
We have unintentionally been conditioned to dial 911 when seeking help in a moment of distress. Although officers are meant to help civilians, these kinds of situations are not something for which they are trained. When individuals see that the national suicide hotline number has been shortened, they will remember the new number just as easily as they remember 911, allowing for faster help for those in distress.
Anyone who needs mental health support and guidance can call both the new or previous number.
For more information on resources regarding mental health in times of emotional distress, visit https://988lifeline.org.