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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number changing to '988'

The hope is using less numbers will be easier for someone in a mental crisis to remember.

CLEVELAND — Starting July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number will change. Instead of 1-800-273-8255, those in a mental health crisis can simply dial 988.

Here's what you need to know about why, and how it will be handled in Ohio.

The switch from the old 1-800 number is because mental health experts worried someone in distress wouldn't remember so many numbers. It's been a long, thought-out process to get to this change. Ohio's Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has been planning for this transition for the last 18 months. 

This new number will be staffed 24 hours a day, and you can call or text it to hear from a real-life expert who is there to help. You can also call the number if you know someone else in distress.

We talked with Kimberly Carter, Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Geauga County, about why this hotline is so important and why calling it instead of law enforcement is so helpful.

"My son has been one of those people who have had many, many calls like this," Carter says. "Unfortunately or fortunately, it's neither it's just a matter of fact, many law enforcement personnel are not trained to de-escalate a mental health episode. It's not their job, they're law enforcement."

Carter's son has been in and out of jail countless times due to his mental health. He suffers from bipolar disorder and anosognosia, which is a lack of understanding the severity of the state of his mental health. 

"So having someone on the other end of the line that's empathic, they understand, they're trained, in some cases... that's what I mean when I say it has better outcomes," she explains.

Ohio has increased the number of in-state Lifeline-approved call centers from 12 to 19 in preparation for the transition to 988. However, you will still be able to call 1-800-273-8255 for the time being.

For more fast facts about the hotline, and how Ohio is preparing, click here.

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Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published in an unrelated story on April 27, 2022.

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