988 Launches This Weekend - Here’s What You Need To Know

photo courtesy of AZCentral

Starting July 16th, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will transition from its previous ten-digit number to the simplified three digit dialing code 988 and the rebranded name of 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. From their official site, the lifeline

“provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is comprised of a national network of over 200 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices.”

The Lifeline aims to provide immediate and confidential counseling to distressed callers, de-escalate suicidal thoughts or anxious situations, and connect callers with local resources if necessary. The services are available by calling or texting 988, or by using the in-browser chat option on the Lifeline’s website.

What Does This Mean For Me, A 911 Emergency Dispatcher?

As stated above, The Lifeline is a national network of over 200 crisis centers staffed by trained crisis counselors and licensed mental health professionals. Similar to most 911 PSAPs, these centers use evidence-based protocols to de-escalate mental health crisis situations.

In the event that a call-taker from the 988 Lifeline determines that a person is an imminent risk to themselves or others - a rare circumstance, reportedly only occurring in 2% of calls to the service - a representative from The Lifeline involved in the call will notify the appropriate PSAP for assistance.

Some considerations to be aware of: 

• 988 is not able to directly transfer a call to 911 services, so any pertinent information will be relayed from the 988 call-taker to the 911 dispatcher.

• 988 does not have access to geolocation data for incoming contacts; as a result, 988 may have limited location information, and may ask your PSAP to initiate a geolocation lookup with the subject’s wireless carrier or Internet Service Provider.

If you receive a call for service from the 988 Lifeline, follow your center’s existing protocols for emergency dispatch. For more information about the 988 service, visit their official website.