September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. All month, mental health advocates, survivors, allies, and community members nationwide come together to promote suicide prevention awareness. As a District, we want to bring awareness to suicide prevention and share useful resources for students, staff, and the greater Rochester community.
The suicide prevention lifeline: 988
988 is the new easy-to-remember three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
This project began in 2019 to put crisis care more in reach for people in need. The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, signed into law after the passage of bipartisan legislation in 2020, authorized 988 as a new number for suicide and mental health crisis. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 crisis care and even links to the Veterans Crisis Line.
When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors who are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These counselors will listen to the callers, understand how their problems affect them, provide support, and connect them to necessary resources.
The Lifeline has been proven effective, with a network of over 200 local and state crisis centers operating since 2005. Whenever someone calls, a counselor from these local crisis centers supports them.
The previous Lifeline phone number, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), and other local call center numbers have been shut down, as 988 is now the official number for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
If you need suicide or mental health crisis support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline chat to connect with a trained crisis specialist.