WASHINGTON — The American Psychological Association praised the passage of legislationopens in new window to designate 988 as the national hotline for suicide intervention and urged President Trump to sign the bill into law immediately.
“The creation of a National Suicide Hotline will provide a simple way for Americans experiencing a mental health crisis to get immediate help,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. “When an individual is experiencing a crisis, time is of the essence. Making the process for seeking help less cumbersome has the potential to save countless lives.
“The administration must work swiftly to ensure that the implementation of the hotline includes appropriate funding, public education and specialized training for responders. We cannot delay in responding to our nation’s growing mental health crisis.”
The National Suicide Prevention Center’s current network of local call centers answer over 2 million crisis calls a year.
The bill was co-sponsored by Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc. The Senate passed the bill in May. U.S. Reps. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, and Seth Moulton, D-Mass., led the effort in the House, which passed the bill Monday.