New Law Creates 988 Hotline For Mental Health Emergencies

Mental health advocates say 988, a simple 3-digit number, will be easier for people to remember in the midst of a mental health emergency.

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President Trump has signed into law a bipartisan bill to create a three-digit number for mental health emergencies. The Federal Communications Commission had already picked 988 as the number for this hotline and aims to have it up and running by July 2022. The new law paves the way to make that a reality.

“We are thrilled, because this is a game changer,” says Robert Gebbia, CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

He and other mental health advocates say this will make it easier for more Americans to access mental health care.