Welcome to Public Health On Call, a podcast from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

I'm Joshua Sharfstein, Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement,

and a former health commissioner here in Baltimore.

Our goal is to bring evidence and experience to illuminate critical public health issues.

If you have questions or ideas for us, please send an email to public health question at jh.h.orgia.

That's public health question at jh.u.edu for future podcast episodes.

Hi, I'm Lindsay Smith-Rogers, producer of public health on call.

Today, we are again turning the podcast over to guest host Dan Gorenstein, a long-time

health reporter and host of the podcast, tradeoffs.

The topic today is an update on the nation's new 988 crisis line and how until recently

local agencies were struggling to find counselors to staff the lifeline number. A content warning

that this episode mentions suicide and other mental health emergencies. If you or someone you

know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention

Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

You can also learn more at tradeoffs.org.

Let's listen.

Hey, it's Dan.

Today's episode is the second in a year-long series on the launch of a new national

mental health crisis line, 988. Our first episode explored what's at stake and what it will take

for 988 to succeed. Check it out if you missed it. A warning about today's show, there's some strong

language, and it mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. That's 1-800800273 talk.

The country's new mental health crisis line, 988, is going live in July.

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