You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.

Hi everyone, Regina Barber here.

There's a new three digit hotline that launched this summer, 988.

That's the new suicide and crisis lifeline intended for anyone experiencing a suicidal

or any other kind of mental health emergency.

People can call or text the number.

And here to tell us more about this new number is NPR Health Correspondent, Retoo Chattergy.

Hey Regina, so yeah, this new number is a big deal.

For mental health care in this country.

First of all, it's short, easy to remember and dial during emergencies, you know, just like

9-1-1.

And the hope is that the number will also make it easier to connect people in crises to

the right kind of mental health care.

Here's how psychologists Ben Miller of the Wellbeing Trust described 988 to me.

It's truly, I think, the Trojan Horse from Mental Health Perform because it forces multiple

parts of our system to have a new way to handle individuals that are experiencing a mental

health crisis.

So today, 988, how does it work?

And will it change our mental health system to better respond to people in crisis?

I'm Regina Barber, you're listening to shortwave from NPR.

So Retoo, as you said, 988 is easy to remember and dial.

But how will it reform the mental health system?

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