The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to launch a new three-digit hotline for people who are feeling suicidal or are going through any other mental health crisis. It recommends making 988 the new national number to call for help, replacing the current 10-digit number.
The agency presented the idea to Congress in a report earlier this month and is expected to release more information and seek public comment about the proposal in the coming months.
Mental health advocates are excited about the proposal. They say it will make it easier for people in crisis to seek help, but caution that effective implementation could be costly, as the move could increase the need for staff to answer calls.
“This is a great idea,” says Madelyn Gould, a psychiatrist at Columbia University and an expert on suicide prevention.
The current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number — 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255 — can be difficult for people to remember it in the midst of a crisis, she says.