New data shows high statewide usage of the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline after the first year with its three-digit phone number.
California crisis centers responded to about 280,000 contacts via calls, online chats and text messages since 988 replaced a 10-digit phone number last July, according to Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, which is the hotline crisis center for several Southern California counties and also serves as a statewide backup center for 988 calls.
The state had the highest volume of contacts in the U.S., followed by New York. Call volume increased 28 percent from May 2022, when the hotline had a longer phone number, to May 2023.
Online chats and text message were a major contributor to the increase, said Matt Taylor, program director for the 988 network at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, at a briefing Tuesday. The majority of people using those methods are aged 24 or younger.
“It shows that people are hungry and ready to use this service, particularly young people,” Taylor said.
California is served by a network of 12 crisis centers. When someone contacts 988, they are routed to their local center, which can connect them to local and community resources. If the local center cannot respond, it goes to the state backup center at Didi Hirsch, or if that fails then it goes to the national network.
Those who are thinking about suicide or are experiencing a mental health crisis can call 988 across the U.S., 24 hours a day.
14 comments
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Suicide is for the weak, mentally ill, the non-hackers, the soft, and the non-resilient.
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Get over it and move on.
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Life can be challenging. Deal with it.
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I hope no one you know has depression and comes to you for help you will tell them they are soft get over it. Great values. You are very ignorant about suicide and depression. Educate yourself before posting such nonsense.
With all of the drugs and constant depressing news, and social media for children I can see why suicidal thoughts are high. You just have to toughen up. Tomorrow will be a better day.
Needs to be on freeway message boards
What the hell…….. what is wrong with us… This world is a beautiful place and we are so fortunate to be able to be in it. I understand living isn’t for everybody but it does not take a trained eye to look around and see that this is fantastic. What the hell is waiting for you on the other side??????? you don’t know. What you have is right here right now….there are no promises of something waiting for you that is better…,
stupid and selfish.
Right here right now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MznHdJReoeo
Wonder what percentage of callers are undergoing/suffering the inevitable consequences of “conversion”?
Reperations should solve everything and there will be no crime,suffering,and all minorities happy….and no more complaining about imaginary racism or phobias
Sometimes children’s messages can be uplifting. Listen to them when you need inspiration by dialing 707.872.7862.
I for one (and seem to be the only one) am glad to see those in need taking advantage of this and any other way that may inspire help.
280,000 contacts is probably scammers calling to offer solar, to “lower your bills,” etc. 988 was and still is not on my personal radar as a number to call. I’m assuming most people also don’t know about 988, particularly as we no longer use nor keep phone books.
I would be curious of how many of the 280,000 contacts were actually from individuals in need, and more importantly, for those in need, how many were positively impacted by the contacts. I would also like to know of the efficacy of a phone call or text in preventing drastic maneuvers. The cost of this apparently was $20 million (the same cost as Heat Ready CA, “a two-year, $20 million campaign focusing on groups at highest risk from heat,” and the California Farmworkers Drought Resilience Pilot Project, and the amount of grants the California’s Department of Cannabis Control has to give retailers of cannabis, and the amount of funding given to Clean Mobility Operations Voucher Pilot Program to get more EVs to underserved communities {does that mean where the average citizen cannot afford the $60,000 dollar car, meaning 90% of California}, etc., etc., etc.). Not bad for a state projected to be $20 billion in the hole. As I side, curious if this program is effective, or just another money suck.
Suicide has tripled since Biden pretended to be elected.
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