988: The New Three-Digit Lifeline
Beginning July 16, 2022, 988 will be the new three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Formerly, callers in crisis would dial 1-800-273-8255 in order to be connected with a trained crisis counselor located at one of the 200 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Centers scattered across the country. It is important to note that even after July 16, callers will still be able to dial the 1-800-273-TALK number to be connected to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Aside from the simplified 988 Lifeline number, nothing is changing about the way the Lifeline functions or how they support callers in crisis. Trained volunteers and paid employees alike are well-versed in listening, working to understand the nature of the crisis, providing support, and connecting to resources if necessary.
For those who have never utilized a crisis hotline such as the Suicide Prevention Lifeline or Crisis Text line (and even if you have), here’s what you can expect:
To be connected to an individual who is trained in crisis intervention and uses these skills to support someone in crisis.
If you are calling within the state of Montana, you will most likely be connected with someone working at one of three call centers in Montana, located in Great Falls, Missoula, or Bozeman. If crisis volunteers are not available at state call centers, callers are re-routed to one of the national backup call centers.
In 89% of calls to the Lifeline from Montana, callers were connected to a call center within 30 seconds of the greeting, and around 95% within 60 to 90 seconds.
You do not have to be personally experiencing a crisis or have thoughts of suicide to utilize the Lifeline. Volunteers are well-versed in helping people understand how they can support friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers who might be struggling.
It is a common misconception that emergency services will be immediately notified if someone reaches out to the Lifeline. In fact, only 2% of calls to the Lifeline result in dispatching emergency medical services.
In 2019, over 2.3 million calls were made to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 8,372 from Montana, 2,057 of those were from Montana veterans.
It’s okay to not be okay, but know that you do not have to struggle alone. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline is free, confidential, and available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For more information about 988 and the Lifeline, visit: suicidepreventionlifeline.org
You can also visit crisistextline.org or thetrevorproject.org for information about crisis text lines and support for the LGBTQ+ community.