FCC designates 988 for suicide prevention hotline

The Federal Communications Commission today adopted rules establishing 988 as the nationwide phone number to connect people experiencing mental health crises to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a network of 163 crisis centers that last year answered more than 2.2 million calls and 100,000 online chats. Under the new rules, telecommunications carriers and one-way Voice over Internet Protocol service providers must direct 988 calls to the existing hotline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), by July 16, 2022. The current lifeline and online chats will stay available during and after the transition.
Related News Articles
Headline
The AHA Sept. 29 asked the Trump administration to provide exemptions for health care personnel from the proclamation issued Sept. 19 announcing changes to the…
Headline
The Office of Science and Technology Policy issued a request for information Sept. 26 seeking feedback on federal regulations that hinder AI development,…
Headline
An AHA blog published Sept. 16 highlights programs and practices by Boston Medical Center leaders and staff that support residents’ mental health, emotional…
Headline
Susan Doherty, AHA’s vice president of field engagement, and Rebecca Chickey, AHA’s senior director of behavioral health services, write on the unique ways…
Blog
This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2023, the latest year for which data was…
Headline
AHA video: From Tennis Star to Surgeon — Carrie Cunningham’s Journey Through Depression and Recovery
In a video released Sept. 17 for National Physician Suicide Awareness Day, Carrie Cunningham, M.D., an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School…