CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — A new three-digit number – 988 – that will connect people to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now in effect.
People can call, text or chat using 988 if they’re having thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crises or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they’re worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to operate through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s network of over 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers across the country. The three-digit 988 went into effect on July 16.
From 2018 to 2020, the age-adjusted suicide rate in Utah was 21.4 per 100,000 persons, with an average of 657 suicides per year. According to the Utah Public Health Data Resource, Utah had the sixth highest age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States in 2019.
In 2020, suicide was the leading cause of death for Utahns ages 10-17 and 18-24. It’s the second leading cause of death for ages 25-44 and the fifth leading cause of death for ages 45-64. Overall, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for Utahns (age-adjusted rate).
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, 800-273-8255, began in 2005. The 10-digit number has served as an invaluable resource, helping thousands of people overcome suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress every day. With the transition to 988, these lifesaving services will be even easier to reach.
In preparation for the transition of the lifeline number to 988, the federal government and partners from across many telephone providers, including TDS, worked together to put the systems in place. The TDS number management team was required to build the infrastructure to implement 988 in all TDS networks, including Southern Utah. The coordination of carrying out this massive job on the TDS telephone system took more than 500 hours of back end work.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and is administered by Vibrant Emotional Health.
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention worked to developed messaging for the new 988 number and best practices. They also tailored 988-related messages for specific age groups. Lifeline crisis counselors are an essential element of the crisis care system to save lives.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800 number will remain in effect alongside 988. More than 2.1 million callers dialed 800-273-8255 in 2020, but the new, easier-to-remember number is expected to bring increased call volume to the lifeline. Implementing the new 988 number has required a need to expand call center capacity, boosting crisis response and spreading the word about the number.
All suicide attempts should be taken seriously. Suicide attempt survivors are often seriously injured, are likely to have depression and/or another mental health disorder and are at an increased risk for suicide.
Suicidal behavior is a serious and complex public health issue that takes an enormous toll on communities in both economical and human costs. Suicide deaths in the United States totaled more than 46,000 in 2020.
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