by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant
A new national suicide prevention hotline, accessible by calling or texting 9-8-8, launches tomorrow, July 16th. By federal mandate, every state is required to launch its own 988 hotline, which won’t immediate replace the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, but once fully implemented nationwide, will be available to every person in every state to respond to those in mental health crisis.
The new 988 line, in addition to being easier to remember than the current 10-digit number, will be able to track the location of 988 callers to reach response teams in their area. In Ohio, callers will be linked to one of 19 statewide call centers. If a call isn’t answered at the closest call center, a back-up center in a different county will receive the call. If again the call is unanswered, Talbert House in Cincinnati will serve as a statewide backup call center, after which the call will be routed to a nationwide backup call center.
Although those experiencing medical emergencies or life-threatening situations should still call 911, the new 988 line is expected to decrease unnecessary police and emergency room intervention of mental health crises. Some 988 calls may be able to be resolved over the phone, without dispatching local responders. When help is sent to callers, responders will be trained in mental health and appropriate clinical response.
Over the last year, Ohioans made 79,358 calls to the existing national lifeline, and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) estimates Ohioans will call the new 988 line 179,015 times in the first year of implementation. Capacity to receive these calls, both in call centers and in crisis care centers, is an ongoing concern. Earlier this year, the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers released a report on Ohio’s behavioral health workforce crisis. Read Breaking Point here.
The Arc of the United States also released a statement this week urging for national training curriculum for 988 staff to be better prepared to respond to callers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who are more likely to have co-occurring mental health conditions, more likely to report suicidal ideation than those without disabilities, and who are often misunderstood by law enforcement officers.
Ohio received $3.3 million from the federal government to prepare for the new hotline, and OhioMHAS has dedicated $20 million to fund the initial 988 launch through the end of fiscal year 2023 next June. House Bill 468 is also pending in the Ohio Senate, which would establish a special 988 fund in the state treasury. Depending on HB468’s movement this fall, funding of the new hotline will likely be a discussion in next spring’s 2024-2025 biennial budget process.
Check out these resources for more information on 988:
988lifeline.org (formerly National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)
Webinar on July 25th: NAMI Greater Cleveland: Reimagining Crisis Response: Understanding 988
Even after the soft launch of the 988 line tomorrow, those in distress or crisis can continue to reach the current lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255.