News Report | December 30, 2019
FCC Unanimously Approves ‘988’ As National Suicide Prevention Hotline
On December 12, 2019, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved “988” as the official phone number for suicide prevention. The purpose in having a three-digit phone designation is to ease crisis service access while reducing the stigma associated with suicide and mental health conditions. Currently, crisis services are accessed by dialing 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). The process of implementing the phone designation began with the December 12 announcement. No information is available about the “go live” date.
The “988” designation was part of the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018, which initiated a study . . .