Consciousness of the 988 nationwide suicide prevention hotline is rising for the reason that quantity was up to date, however it’s nonetheless low, in line with a brand new survey.
The Annenberg Public Coverage Heart/SSRS ballot, launched Monday, discovered that solely 15 % of survey respondents named the proper quantity for the hotline, formally named the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as of September this 12 months.
That quantity elevated by 4 % since August 2023, when simply 11 % of surveytakers shared the correct numbers. In January 2023, simply 8 % knew the proper digits, in line with the survey’s evaluation.
Alternatively, the ballot reveals that the quantity of people that mentioned the hotline was 911 — the nationwide emergency line — dropped to 1 % in September from 4 % in final 12 months’s survey.
“The help that can be found at the 988 helpline can only save lives if those in need and their loved ones and friends know the number,” Kathleen Corridor Jamieson, the director of the Annenberg Public Coverage Heart on the College of Pennsylvania, mentioned in a press release. “When 988 is as readily recalled as 911, the nation will have cause to celebrate.”
The suicide prevention line was shortened in July 2022 with the objective of it being extra accessible. The preliminary quantity was 1-800-273-8255.
The hotline was launched practically 20 years in the past, in 2005, by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Providers Administration (SAMHSA) and Vibrant Emotional Well being. The road acquired over 20 million calls from folks in want of help between 2005 and 2020, in line with the web site.
The Annenberg/SSRS ballot was performed between Sept. 13-22 and Sept. 26-30 amongst 1,744 U.S. adults. The margin of error was 3.5 proportion factors on the 95 % confidence degree.
