FCC Approves 988 as Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Crisis Number:
Yesterday the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved [(pdf)] 988 as a nationwide, three-digit phone number that people in crisis can call to speak with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. All phone service providers are required to direct all 988 calls to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) by July 16, 2022. This includes all telecommunications carriers and interconnected and one-way Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will remain operational during and after the two-year transition to 988.
During the transition to 988, Americans who need help should continue to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK) and through online chats. Veterans and service members may reach the Veterans Crisis Line by pressing 1 after dialing, chatting online at http://www.veteranscrisisline.net, or texting 838255. A transcript of the vote is posted here.
Activation of new 988 number will take a while. In the meantime, try calling "911" or:
Active and former US service members can:
If nothing else, talk to somebody. It's really important to remember that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary situation. Help is available; ask for it and don't give up.
NOTE: The above are US-centric. For those who are aware of resources in other countries, please mention them in the comments.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Beryllium Sphere (r) on Thursday July 23 2020, @12:18AM (3 children)
Non-US hotlines:
http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html [suicide.org]
For US active duty military and veterans:
Veteran's Crisis Line:
1800-273-8255
Press 1
or text 838255
confidential chat available at: www.veteranscrisisline.net
Specifically for support of trans people, http://www.translifeline.org/ [translifeline.org] has a US hotline number +18775658860 and a Canadian toll-free number +18773306366.
For LGBT teenagers and young adults, http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/get-help-now. [thetrevorproject.org] They also have a hotline number, 866-488-7386.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 23 2020, @12:16PM
>> For US active duty military and veterans:
Soldier: Hello hotline
Hotline: Wot?
Soldier: I feelz bad for killing unarmed civilians
Hotline: Was jihadis
Soldier: Even the babies?
Hotline: Baby jihadis
Soldier: Feelz better, thankx.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 23 2020, @12:20PM
>> For LGBT teenagers
Tranny: Hello hotline?
Hotline: Wot?
Tranny: People laugh at me for wearing dress
Hotline: Have you tried wearing normal boy clothes?
Tranny: No, that would clash with my pink hair
Hotline: Have you tried dating a nice girl, maybe that would fix you?
Tranny: What sort of hotline is this?
Hotline: You dialled 1-800-GRANDMA
(Score: 4, Funny) by DannyB on Thursday July 23 2020, @03:06PM
>> For software developers
Hotline: Suicide prevention hotline for software developers
Developer: Hi, I feel like committing suicide, can you help?
Hotline: Let me start a JIRA ticket for that . . . clickety clickety . . .
Hotline: Okay, what programming language are you using?
Developer: Java
Hotline: Well, there's your problem . . .
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.