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The contestants of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” were perplexed in the fall when asked about the new “national 3-digit suicide prevention phone number” in the United States, which debuted last July.
“What is 311? comedian Iliza Shlesinger guessed, wrongly.
Turns out she wasn’t alone. It’s been a year since the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline underwent a makeover, recasting its 10-digit number as 988, but many people aren’t aware of the change or what the hotline provides.
The new number is supposed to make it easier for callers to connect with help when they’re having suicidal thoughts, experiencing emotional distress or having a substance use crisis, but only 17% of Americans say they are very or fairly familiar with it, depending on a survey released Thursday by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Also, according to the survey, people still don’t know what to expect when they call.
Many still assume that “you call 988 and — much like 911 — that means someone is going to be sent to you,” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI’s advocacy manager. “For the large majority – almost all callers – this is not really the case.
Here’s a look at what everyone should know about 988 and the challenges ahead as we continue to fund and expand the network.
What should you know about 988?
The three-digit dialing code for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline became available in July last year after receiving bipartisan support. (President Donald J. Trump signed the law establishing the new number in 2020.) Since then, more than five million calls, chats and texts have been routed to 988, a 66% increase from to the previous 12 months, before the arrival of the new number.
Almost a million of those contacts were answered by the Veterans Crisis Line, which is linked to 988.
According to the survey, most people assume that calling 988 will automatically send emergency services such as the police, or are unsure, but in reality, less than 2% of Lifeline calls require a connection to services like 911. In fact, 988 does not currently use geolocation, so those who call the hotline remain anonymous unless they choose to give out identifying information. Part of the impetus behind the creation of 988 was to reduce reliance on law enforcement or emergency services to manage mental health crises, and rather to build an expanded group of services, the The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said. In some areas, this includes mobile crisis teams and stabilization centers, which provide people with a place to go that isn’t an emergency room.
But you don’t have to be in crisis or suicidal to call 988 and speak to a counsellor. This is a free service available anytime, day or night, for anyone in need of assistance.
“We hope people come to us before they are in a mental health crisis,” said Tia Dole, director of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit based in New York which manages the Lifeline for SAMHSA. .
Why do so few people know this?
The NAMI survey found that most Americans don’t know crucial facts about the Lifeline or what to expect if they call.
This is partly by design. Over the past year, none of the Lifeline almost a billion dollars federal funding was allocated to a public relations campaign. Initially, advocates and administrators feared that promoting 988 too early would overwhelm him with demand.
But now is the time to raise awareness, Dr. Dole said. Vibrant aims to launch a campaign in the fall that will not only spread the word, but also attempt to reduce some of the disparities among those who understand and embrace 988.
According to NAMI, for example, black people and adults 50 and older were the least likely to have heard of 988. pew study published in April found similar results and also revealed economic disparities: those who were more affluent or more educated were also more likely to be aware of 988.
What other obstacles remain?
Along with increased public awareness, one of the biggest issues facing the expanded network is long-term funding.
The national network has more than 200 call centers, mostly made up of low-budget associations. Many rely on volunteers and private contributions.
The law that established 988 gave state legislators the ability to raise funds for call centers by adding monthly fees to phone bills. But so far only a handful of states have done it.
The Biden administration’s budget proposal for 2024 includes $836 million for 988, an increase of more than $300 million from the amount allocated last year to set up the Lifeline. But experts say more is needed, especially at local and state levels.
In the coming year, the number of calls, texts and chats reaching 988 could reach nine million, nearly double the number of contacts in the first year, said Bob Gebbia, chief executive of the American Foundation. for suicide prevention. .
“It’s a huge increase, and we want to make sure there’s someone there to answer calls, texts and chats,” he said. “We need additional funding.”
Network expansion is further complicated by a shortage among behavioral health professionals. When local centers cannot respond, calls are pushed to national rescue centers, which can lead to longer wait times or simply have callers hang up.
Finally, the current method of routing callers by area code can be problematic if someone’s phone number doesn’t reflect where they currently live. Emergency counselors who help people who live in other states may have a harder time offering local referrals.
What does Lifeline do well?
The line of life met record demand over the past year, but has managed to reduce the wait time for a response from an advisor.
“It means more people are getting help and they are getting help faster, which is crucial for someone in crisis,” SAMHSA leader Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon said Thursday.
Prior to the implementation of 988, it sometimes took several minutes to reach someone. Now, the average response time has dropped from 2 minutes and 39 seconds to 41 seconds, according to SAMHSA. However, the waiting time can vary greatly depending on location or time of day.
Another big change: the new Lifeline has invested in text and chat response. In the past, the Lifeline had the ability to manage only 56% of SMS and 30% of chats. So far, recent data indicates that the new Lifeline meets a much higher proportion chats and text messages on average.
Overall, “I’m convinced it’s helping to save lives,” Mr Gebbia said of 988.
And after?
Demand for Lifeline is expected to increase in the coming years as mental illness continues to be a major public health problem. Anxiety and depression are common, especially in young adults: A KFF Analysis Census data found that half of adults aged 18 to 24 reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in 2023, compared to about a third of all adults. Moreover, the suicide rate increased by 35% over the past two decades.
In addition to serving the population as a whole, the 988 lifeline also aspires to provide tailored assistance to specific groups. The Lifeline now offers an LGBTQ “subnet” for those under 25 and this month rolled out Spanish text and chat options.
Additionally, Dr. Dole said later this year, Lifeline plans to add videophone service for the deaf and hard of hearing.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Go here for resources outside the United States.
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