“New” 988 Suicide Hotline
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. The attached article about the new 988 Suicide Hotline service indicates that the service has come under fire in some social media circles. The service means well, but the scrutiny highlights the inexact and underdeveloped nature of implementing mental health services on a wide scale.
Part of the challenge of implementing such services is that when an individual is in crisis, often the strategies used need to be tailored to that particular person/circumstances. Particularly when suicide or other life-threatening moments arise, getting the right help to that moment is daunting. At these moments, all the prevention in the world is rendered useless as those with mental health issues and those intervening are trying to navigate successfully when the stakes are at their highest, and a life potentially hangs in the balance. So, neigh Sayers may highlight potential flaws in this 988 System but we need to make imperfect steps forward in order to grow and meet the challenges of the vastly under served need for mental health services.
And as with most healthcare issues, the ultimate conclusion is that prevention is going to be key to minimizing the need for crisis intervention. Everyone knows that to support physical well-being, you go to the gym on a regular basis, watch your diet, etc. Let’s start promoting the benefits of ongoing therapy in support of mental health as a tool of prevention. Then the need to manage crisis situations and scrutinize well-meaning response services such as the 988 hotline can be mitigated.
