Last July, the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline became 988, an easy-to-remember lifeline for people dealing with issues like depression, substance use and suicidal ideation.
“If we do not have robust infrastructure that connects you locally for chat and text, we’re not keeping up with the times, and we are not reaching some of the key target populations,” says, the director of the 988 and Behavioral Health Crises Coordinating Office at the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Responding to texts requires additional staff, new trainings and a special technology platform new to most centers. At leastShawn Kinney, a 988 counselor atin West Virginia, says he’s learned that young people in particular are more comfortable texting about difficult subjects. Kinney says it also allows people to seek help safely, regardless of where they are or who they’re with.
But providing someone with a local response can be challenging when it comes to ensuring privacy and routing calls in the cell phone era. Individuals who contact 988 are funneled to a call center based on their phone’s area code, but that area code might not reflect where a person is actually calling from. Deborah Turner says the call center she runs in Rochester, New York, regularly gets calls from former state residents who now live in Florida.
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