Major Change to 988 Crisis Hotline in New York
New York is one of the states that offers a variety of hotlines for a wide range of concerns and issues.
As of Tuesday, October 1st, one hotline in New York made a big change in what happens when you dial the number 988.
Hotlines in New York
Outside of dialing 911 for life-threatening emergencies or injuries, New York has a few other important hotlines to know about.
You can dial the 211 hotline if you're looking for general information on a variety of topics from PTSD and mental health resources to financial guidance. If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling addiction, there's the OASAS HOPEline that you can call at 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY.
And then there's 988.
New York's Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
988 is the number to dial for people in crisis or suicide-risk situations. The line is open 24/7, 365 days a year. It's completely confidential and totally free to connect.
When you dial 988, you're connected with a counselor who will help you navigate whatever situation you're currently struggling with - whether it's a personal situation or you're calling on behalf of a loved one. You can talk over the phone or text with a counselor.
The 988 service is an incredible resource for anyone to use. However, in 2023, a few New York congresspeople raised what they believed would be an enhancement to the 988 hotline.
The bill called the 988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act, aimed to get 988 calls and texts rerouted to local call centers to give those in crisis a more specialized and direct counselor to help them through their situations.
Changes to 988 Hotline in New York
Hudson Valley-based representative Marc Molinaro was one of the congressmen directly behind the introduction of this bill back in 2023. The bill was embraced with bi-partisan support from Republican Senator John Barrasso and Democrat representatives Paul Tonko and Ben Ray Lujan.
The bill explains that previously, 988 calls were routed based on a person's area code as opposed to the caller's current location. This means if someone had moved from one area to a new one and kept their phone number, as most people do these days, their crisis call would be routed to wherever their phone's area code is.
As of Tuesday, October 1, news was shared by Marc Molinaro's office that the FCC is now ready to implement the needed technology in order to route 988 calls the same way 911 calls are routed - based on the person's location at the time of the call.
Having a local call center respond to 988 calls is important when it comes to sharing nearby resources with the caller in distress or identifying where the distressed person may be in case more severe emergency services are needed in a situation.
SEE ALSO: 12 New Laws That Started in New York in 2024
While there is plenty of political divisiveness this time of year, it's great to see politicians from both sides of the aisle working together to implement important and life-changing legislation like the 988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act.
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