By Regina Vogt, LISW-S

Beginning on July 16, 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) will transition to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The original phone number will remain active. Anyone in the United States experiencing a mental health crisis will be able to call, text, or chat the 988 number in order to reach a crisis mental health therapist. President Biden signed this initiative into law as a response to increase in mental health challenges that many citizens have experienced since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For information on the State of Ohio’s process for rolling out the 988 crisis number, please visit https://mha.ohio.gov/about-us/priorities/ohios-988-implementation.