Coming soon: A national mental health hotline
Starting in 2022, Americans suffering a mental health emergency will be able to dial "988" to access the help they need.
Access to mental health services has been an ongoing issue for many Americans, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the need for such services. A new bill signed by President Trump aims to fix that by creating a three-digit number, akin to 911, for mental health emergencies: 988.
“A national three-digit number will make it far easier for millions of Americans to reach out for help and get immediate connection to care when they’re experiencing a mental health or suicidal crisis,” Kimberly Williams, president and CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health, the organization that runs the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, told NPR. “Most importantly, 988 will help save lives.”
Related: Removing barriers to mental health to support employees
Efforts to pass the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act began in 2017, sparked by now-retired Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. Chris Stewart, both of Utah.
Unfortunately, the law will take some time to implement, and the Federal Communications Commission expects to have it up and running by July 2022, according to NPR. Meanwhile, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) has seen a significant uptick in call volume since the start of the pandemic.
In addition to creating a nationwide hotline, the new law provides funding for local crisis centers to better handle the expected increase in call volume, as well as provide more funding for states to invest in their mental health services.
Many of those working in the mental health industry hope the new number will also drive awareness of mental health issues and make Americans more comfortable talking about it.
“It is a national step forward out of the shadows of stigma that prevent too many people from getting help and into a new era when mental health care is easy to get and normal to talk about,” said Rep. Seth Moulton (Mass.), one of the bill’s co-writers. “I’m so proud of my team and the partners that got this done. This will save tens of thousands of lives every year.”
Read more: