Some ridiculously good news out of the federal government (yes, really) when it comes to mental health:

The Federal Communications Commission plans to move forward with establishing a three-digit number for the federally-backed hotline.

Thursday’s announcement from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai signals the culmination of one of the final legislative priorities of former Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin G. Hatch of Utah.

Pai said that he intends to follow a staff recommendation for establishing a three-digit dialing code, likely to be 9-8-8, to reach the network of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, currently 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). That program is funded through the Health and Human Services Department.

Why is this so important? Two things.

First is the obvious: It makes it easier for people to get the help that they need. A 1-800 number – even one with “TALK” in it – can be too easy to forget. The Suicide Prevention Hotline is a critical resource for people who are in crisis. Elevating that number, and making it easier for people to call, can help to direct people to the care that they need. This is particularly important for someone who is in a state of mind where suicide seems to be an option. A 1-800 number may be too difficult to dial. A three digit number – one like 911, which has been drilled into our brains since we were kids – is easier.

This is even more important because of the frequent conversations around suicide prevention whenever there is a high-level suicide. In the aftermath of one of these tragedies, there is often an increased effort to make people aware of this number. Think about it. How many times have you heard someone say words to the effect of, “You’re never alone. If you or someone you love is in crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK.”

Let’s keep in mind that this number is a national resource, and the volume of calls it receives is reflective of that. The national hotline will actually route your call to the nearest available center. For information on how many calls your state hotlines received, you can check out this report, which has statistics from July 2018- December 2018. For example, during this period, there were 30,346 calls made from Pennsylvania residents. For added context: In a three month period, .0023% of the state’s 12,810,000 residents called. Folks, that’s not a small number.

Second, and maybe more importantly: This decision elevates the national conversation about suicide prevention. Only important causes get three digit numbers: Emergency services (911), directory assistance (411) and local services (211) are the only ones in Pennsylvania. Making suicide prevention a three digit number will help to push suicide prevention to the top of the public agenda, and this is something we absolutely, desperately need to do. This is a good decision, and I cannot wait to see it finalized.

Any thoughts you want to add? Let us know in the comments below!