The New York Times (7/12, Blum) reports that beginning Saturday, anyone in the US “can text or call 988 to reach trained counselors who can help them cope with a mental health emergency, and direct them to additional resources for mental health and substance use treatment.” The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s “existing 1-800 number still works, but the service has gotten a makeover and will now be more able to address general mental health concerns and emotional distress, as well as suicide crises.” American Psychiatric Association Council on Healthcare Systems and Financing Chair Robert Trestman, MD, PhD, said, “Having an anonymous opportunity to speak to someone who knows what they’re talking about, who won’t be scared when you say, ‘I don’t know what to do, I’m thinking of hurting myself’ – this is an extraordinary option.”
Politico (7/12, Messerly, Owermohle) reports, “State health officials, unsure they have the money or staff to respond to an expected flood of calls to 988…are tempering expectations just days ahead of its launch.” Federal health officials “worry that most states are ill-prepared to meet the hotline’s long-term needs.”
Related Links:
— “What to Know About 988, the New Mental Health Crisis Hotline “Dani Blum, The New York Times, July 12, 2022