988 – The Suicide & Crisis Hotline
988 has been designated as the new, three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and is now active across the United States. Like 911, the 988 hotline is easy to use and easy to remember. The goal of 988 is to be a better way to reach people in crisis where they are. When people call, or text 988, they will be connected to trained counselors from a network within their area. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support and connect them to other resources if necessary. This new, shorter phone number will make it easier for people to remember and access mental health crisis services without judgment or stigma. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis,
The Living Room Model
A Better Solution for Mental Health & Substance Abuse Crises in Our Community Each year in the United States, approximately 1 in 5 people visit an emergency room at least once. These visits are typically due to injuries and issues such as chest pain, broken bones, falls, strokes or back pain. Although emergency rooms are designed for physical ailments such as these, approximately four percent of all visits are due to mental illness or substance use, including overdose, acute psychotic episodes, panic attacks, suicide attempts and more. Unfortunately, emergency rooms are not always set up to adequately treat mental illness or behavioral health due to time constraints and stressful surroundings—often a fast-paced environment filled with bright lights, loud noises and other factors that can be anxiety-inducing for those undergoing treatment. Most emergency room doctors also do not specialize in mental health or addiction and will often treat the medical symptoms