America’s new emergency phone number is now live. We encourage you to dial 988 whenever you are experiencing a serious mental health issue, including
- Thoughts of suicide,
- Struggles with substance abuse,
- Anxiety over money,
- Stress over relationships, or
- Feelings of isolation or loneliness.
The 988 service recognizes that mental health crises are very real and they’re not always best addressed by traditional first responders. 988 calls are answered by trained crisis workers, who can talk through problems and refer folks to local support systems as needed.
Also, it is totally appropriate to call 988 when you’re concerned about a friend or family member!
988 is an outgrowth of the old Suicide Prevention Lifeline, but its scope has been expanded to recognize breadth of mental health concerns manifest today.