unfamiliar with the proper protocols to take when approaching suicidal individuals.
“There’s a very small window between when somebody has the urge and actually acts on the urge. You’ve got to act quickly,” Marianne Goodman, MD, says. “You really need people who have an elevated level of expertise.”
Counselors answering calls for 988 will be trained to stay calm while working with people having suicidal thoughts, and to engage them in conversation. They will also be trained to make decisions about when an in-person response is needed versus when a caller can benefit from guidance given over the phone. suicide hotline
For example, if a caller has a plan in place and the resources to execute the plan, an on-the-ground response may be needed. This is especially true if the caller has weapons such as a firearm in their possession.
However, if a caller has a plan that is more elaborate (involving many steps), the counselor may be able to intervene over the phone before the plan is successfully executed. suicide hotline
Another thing counselors will take into consideration is whether or not the caller’s consciousness has been altered. Have they been drinking or taking drugs? These factors and more are important and will help them make quick decisions that can save lives.
Another benefit of the new number? It’s much easier to remember, which will be crucial in a state of emergency.
“The traditional number is hard to remember. When we have a medical emergency, we immediately know 911,” Robert Gebbia, the chief executive officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, tells SELF. “This is similar. When there’s a mental health crisis, people will remember 988.”
The new number will also accept texts, and live chat is available, according to Dr. May Lau. She is a pediatrician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the medical director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Clinic at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.
Crisis counselors speak multiple languages and are culturally competent at counseling members of the LGBTQ community. There are also resources available for people who are deaf or hearing-impaired, Lau adds.
“The text function is only in English for now, but most of the people who feel comfortable texting are