By Amy S. Evans, AICP

What is 988?

• Since July of this year, you can dial 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. View the flyer.

  

• 988 helps people who are in emotional or suicidal distress by providing emotional support and connecting them to local resources.
• ANYONE who needs emotional or suicidal support or who needs help connecting to resources can call. Calls are FREE and confidential. 988 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How is 988 different from 911 and 211?

• 988 is NOT 911 for mental health. First, 988 call takers cannot dispatch emergency responders in the way that 911 can. Calling 911 is still the best option for any emergency that requires immediate response. 911, on the other hand, will not be able to provide emotional support to callers who simply need to talk or be connected to behavioral health care.
• 988 also cannot geolocate calls, nor are calls always answered in the local area. In Pennsylvania, thirteen call centers answer 988 calls. Some cover very large service areas and not all operate 24/7, meaning that a 988 call made in Adams County from a 717 area code could be answered anywhere in the state or even further away depending on time of day and availability of call takers. When people are traveling, 988 will attempt to connect to a call center in their phone’s area code. The same is true for people with mobile numbers that don’t match their area code of residence.
• For people who just need someone to talk to, this usually doesn’t matter. For people who need connection to resources, it can place a counselor in a position of searching the internet for services in an unfamiliar community. 988 also emphasizes mental health and suicide prevention. If callers need other resources, 211 continues to be the most comprehensive way to find help for a wide variety of needs.

What about my local crisis hotline?

• For someone in acute mental health crisis, a local crisis hotline – especially one that offers mobile services – can be an important resource, especially if that person has interacted with the local hotline previously. The crisis response system in every community is different; your county’s Office of Mental Health & Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is a good place to start in understanding how to best promote 988 in your community.