suicide hotline

The three-digit suicide and crisis lifeline – 988 – fielded nearly half a million more calls, texts and chats in its first five months than the old 10-digit Lifeline did during the same time in 2021.

Hospitals in St. Petersburg and other parts of the U.S. are seeing more young people come in with suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, you can call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

The national crisis hotline was up and running Friday morning after being down for several hours Thursday. The telecommunications provider for the service says it experienced "an incident."

The money will pay for 10 staffers focused on handling 988 calls. Staff now are juggling those calls while also managing other helplines.

Mental health advocates say the numbers are encouraging, but there's more work to be done to build up state and local resources.

Some advocates are also concerned that 988 could incidentally increase the Baker Acting of children with autism and developmental disabilities.

Mayor Jerry Demings says the number should not only be easier for people to remember compared with the current 10-digit number, but will also offer expanded referrals to local treatment centers.

What can you do when you fear someone you know may be considering suicide? It can feel daunting, but suicide prevention experts say we all can help someone at risk by reaching out and showing we care.

The VA has opened more call centers and hired hundreds of additional responders after complaints that some callers experienced long hold times or were...