CHARLESTON, W.Va. — “We believe it could save lives” is what the chair of the Federal Communications Commission is saying about a proposal to establish a three-digit hotline, 988, for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
The Lifeline connects callers to a network of more than 163 crisis centers staffed with trained counselors across the U.S.
Currently, the number is 1-800-273-8255 or 1-800-273-TALK.
In the Mountain State, those with First Choice Services answer the calls.
Since Feb. 2017 when First Choice Services took over line operations, Brittany Shawver, director of the West Virginia Suicide Prevention Lifeline, said more than 7,000 calls have been received.
“We answer anywhere from 250 calls to 300 calls per month normally,” Shawver told MetroNews.
In 2018, the FCC reported more than 2.2 million people nationally called the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
With the possible number change, “I think that it will make it a lot easier for people who are thinking about calling, just because it’s a lot easier to remember three digits, especially when you’re in a crisis,” Shawver said.
“They could just dial those three numbers and then hurry up and get to the help that they need.”
In West Virginia, certified call agents take the initial calls and have the ability to counsel callers directly or to connect them immediately to outside licensed therapists.
In the most extreme cases, there are requests for EMS checks for callers and follow-ups within 24 hours.
For most, follow-ups happen 48 hours, one week, one month and three months after the initial calls, according to Shawver.
The FCC’s 988 recommendation was part of a larger report filed this week as required under the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018.
“Our team found that a three-digit number would make it easier for Americans in crisis to reach someone who could help,” said Ajit Pai, FCC chair, in a statement.
A public comment period will come before any FCC vote on the 988 number.
No action is needed from President Donald Trump or members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives to make the change.
A specific timeline for implementation was not immediately available.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline first launched in 2005 under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.