Calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline now easier with 988

The new easy-to-remember, three-digit number is available in 200 languages 24/7

The Access and Crisis Line offers support and resources countywide in over 200 languages from experienced counselors. San Diego County photo

Susana Serrano, Managing Editor
September 21, 2022

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has become a lot easier.

988 is the new easy-to-remember, three-digit number for 24/7 crisis care.

All calls will be confidential and free of charge, according to a press release from San Diego County shared over the summer.

The lifeline connects callers with experienced counselors on behavioral health, mental health and substance use topics.

Help is available in 200 different languages.

“988 is more than a number,” U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said in a press release. “It is a message: we’re there for you. Through this and other actions, we are treating mental health as a priority and putting crisis care in reach for more Americans.”

The lifeline is a three-year effort by HHS, the Federal Communications Commission and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The initiative is part of President Joe Biden’s comprehensive strategy to address the nation’s mental health crisis.

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About the Contributor

Susana Serrano, Multimedia Editor, City Times - Spring 2024

Award-winning multimedia journalist Susana Serrano previously served as the Managing Editor and Social Media Editor at City Times Media and Executive Producer...