According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “988” will make its official debut on July 16th. Currently, if you dial “988,” it’ll be transferred to the already existing National Suicide Hotline.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards commented on the new hotline, saying:
“It is so important that we have resources in place to help people when they need it most and having a lifeline like this one is vital. Tragically, Louisiana experienced more than 600 suicides in 2020 and nationally there is a death by suicide every 11 minutes. This is a serious problem and being able to text or chat with a trained and compassionate crisis counselor who can listen, provide support and connect people with local resources is going to make it easier for anyone to receive assistance during a mental health crisis. There is never any shame in reaching out for help and everyone needs help at some point in their lives. This is a very safe place to get that support.”
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