New 988 suicide prevention hotline starts this weekend

The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on nearly everyone’s mental health.

But one long-planned effort that makes it easier to seek help is going into effect Saturday, July 16. That’s when anyone can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 (similar to calling 911 in an emergency).

In 2020, the Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) received over 3.6 million calls, chats, and texts. The switch to 988 will direct callers to the same number, resulting in higher call volumes, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Total calls to the Lifeline 10 years ago were 955,703.

When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary, according to the Lifeline website.

The current Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, even after 988 is launched nationally.

The Lifeline’s network of over 200 crisis centers has been in operation since 2005, and has been proven to be effective. It’s the counselors at these local crisis centers who answer the contacts the Lifeline receives every day.

Numerous studies have shown that callers feel less suicidal, less depressed, less overwhelmed and more hopeful after speaking with a Lifeline counselor, the site says.

An average of 53 Quad Citizens die by suicide each year, and another 1,300 in the QC attempt to end their lives every year.

Nearly 46,000 suicides in 2020

Nationally, there were 45,979 suicide deaths in 2020, according to the CDC. This is about one death every 11 minutes. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 25-34.

In order to get to no suicides, the Quad Cities Open Network (QCON) has launched the Zero Suicide Initiative and is seeking support from 100 partner organizations and 1,000 individuals. The QC suicide rate exceeds the national average (16.8 per 100,000 residents locally compared to 14.5 per 100,000 nationally).

Ceceilia Bailey, executive director of QCON, said this week that while the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will remain throughout this transition, the hope is that it will be easier to promote and remember a three-digit number.

“The natural number to call in case of most emergencies is 911 and therefore emergency responders often receive calls that are more of a social and behavioral health concern,” she said by e-mail. “This is why it will be so important for the safety-net providers and municipalities continue to work collaboratively on messaging and making referrals.

“By working together, we can ensure the people are met with the right services and resources at the right time.”

The biggest concern with the switch to 988 is actually the miscommunication of what calling the hotline means, Bailey said.

“The idea of the line is multi-phased. The overall goal of the line is to create a streamlined way for people to access resources in a mental crisis,” she said. “At a national level, that means that someone is available to answer the call and assist. At a local level, it means building infrastructure to have that person be local with a better knowledge and access to resources a person may need.

“This is the first step in building a more localized infrastructure to deploy in a mental health crisis while maintaining a lifeline for those struggling with a mental crisis,” Bailey said.

The number of calls to the Lifeline grew significantly in Illinois and Iowa from 2016 to 2020 – an increase of 78 percent in Iowa over that time and a jump of 65 percent in Illinois.

Since launching in 2005, the Lifeline’s call volume has increased 14% annually, according to AFSP. Call centers in the Lifeline network divert hundreds of thousands of calls from 911 every year and resolve 98% of calls without requiring emergency services.

Evaluations and caller feedback show that Lifeline counselors are effective in reducing caller distress and suicidality and help tens of thousands of people get through crises daily, the AFSP says.

After July 16^th, you may call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or 988 — both will route you to someone either local or through the national backup line that is available to listen.

Illinois schools require posting number

Last year, the Illinois General Assembly passed a new law requiring school districts to provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and for the Crisis Text Line on the back of each student ID card issued by the school district.

If the school district does not issue student ID cards to its students or to all of its students, the school district must publish this information on its website. Several states have adopted similar laws for schools.

The QC Behavioral Health Coalition adopted the Zero Suicide Initiative in an innovative, community-wide effort to address a suicide rate that was higher than the national average and trending in the wrong direction in 2018 and in 2019.

Due to the mental health impact of COVID-19, implementation of the QC Zero Suicide Initiative “comes at a critical time in the history of the Quad Cities and offers a timely solution to the dramatic mental health effects of the pandemic,” according to QCON.

Help available in Iowa

Iowa State Rep. Cindy Winckler recently noted that there are two centers in Iowa that will be taking mental health crisis calls. The current hotline and online chat system, Your Life Iowa, will still be in use and is a free and confidential resource for Iowans.

“With the uptick in mental health services needed due to the pandemic, Iowa is experiencing a significant shortage of mental health professionals,” Winckler said by email. “Iowa is ranked 45th in the nation for the number of psychiatrists per capita. Several initiatives were put in place this year by the Iowa Legislature that could address much needed access to mental health care services, including increased care coverage under the Medicaid program and added incentives to bring more mental health professionals to the state of Iowa.”

Visit YourLifeIowa.com for free confidential online help or call 988 to speak with a crisis counselor.

For more information on the 988 hotline, click HERE.