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988: The New Mental Health Hotline

Starting in mid-July, an emergency hotline that’s the mental health equivalent of 911 will go live in the U.S. The number is 988 and it will connect callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The new number, which goes live on July 16, is part of a $282 million government effort for suicide prevention and crisis care services. The 988 number was designated by Congress in 2020 to be operated through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which has been in existence since 2005. But what is 988, exactly, and how does this all work? This article from Prevention Magazine has all you need to know.