A new national mental health hotline goes live on Saturday in what is considered a milestone for crisis services in the US, but many places are not yet prepared to handle increased call volume.
Dialing the number 988 will now connect to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which links to some 200 local crisis centers, and advocates stress that a comprehensive rollout will take time and resources. Much depends on how states, counties and cities implement mental health services — such as crisis centers, counseling and law enforcement training — to support the emergency number.
The three-digit number, ...
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