National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

There are training programs available for those who to learn more about how to help friends and families who may be in a serious mental crisis.

A counselor survey about work experiences paints a picture of uneven training, uncertainty about how long to stay on the line, and policies on whether to inform a caller when police are on the way.

For rural Americans, who live in areas often short of mental health services and die by suicide at a far higher rate than urbanites, the federally mandated crisis phone line is one of the few options to connect with a crisis counselor.

“No one ever forgets 911. No one ever forgets 411. And now, no one will ever forget 988,” says one mental heath expert.

In the year since the 10-digit line changed to 988, one South Florida nonprofit has seen a 50% increase in calls. Lack of affordable housing and the pandemic are among the drivers.

The 988 line is the centerpiece of a nationwide effort to unify responses to Americans experiencing mental health crises. But many people, especially in rural areas, will continue to find themselves far from help if they need more support than operators can offer.

Racial and ethnic minority groups are most likely to live in impoverished areas, where homicide and suicide rates are highest. Mental health leaders hope the 988 phone number will be so easy to remember that they'll get help before it's too late.

Proponents say the number will be easier to remember or dial in a crisis. They also hope it improves access to services, decreases unnecessary interactions with the police and saves lives.

The recent change in four Florida area codes and 81 others in the country will give residents access to 988 for suicide help, similar to using 911 for other medical emergencies.

Research on the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong found a rise in suicides accompanied the health crises. The same could happen with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Federal Communications Commission unanimously OK'd the proposal, which would allow callers in crisis to reach a national mental health support network simply by dialing 988.

Florida's rural counties are seeing suicide rates for youth almost double that of the state's large cities. And experts say isolation, poverty, access...