Federal regulators are setting up a three-digit national number for a suicide prevention hotline to make it easier to seek help and to reduce stigma.
Federal regulators are setting up a new three-digit number for a suicide prevention hotline in order to make it easier to seek help and to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
A law last year required the Federal Communications Commission to study assigning a three-digit number for suicide prevention. The FCC said in athat there is overwhelming support for a three-digit number because it would be easier for distressed people to get help. “More than 20 veterans die by suicide every day and more than half a million LGBTQ youth will attempt suicide this year alone,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said. “A shorter, simpler suicide hotline number could be a game-changer.”
The FCC determined that it would be better to have a new number that’s only for the hotline rather than one that’s currently used for other purposes, such as 911. Advocates say that having a dedicated number, along with a message that mental health crises are as important as medical emergencies, could help reduce the stigma of calling the number.
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