NJ Adds New Number For Crisis & Suicide Prevention

New Jersey – New Jersey residents seeking help with mental health crisis, now have a new number to call or text. Beginning July 16, 988 will become the nationwide number for crisis and suicide prevention.

“When someone calls 988 all phones in the U.S. (mobile and landline) will connect with the crisis/suicide prevention system,” the state Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services said. “This will allow anyone in the U.S. to call 988 and get help designed specifically for someone dealing with a mental health crisis.”

However, the new number will not replace the current National Suicide Prevention Number 1-800-273-8255, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA).

988 will provide live crisis center calling services in English and Spanish and use Language Line Solutions for translation services in over 250 additional languages. Currently, the text and chat features are available in English only.

Using either number would get people the same services. But the new 988 number will be easier to remember, much like 911, officials said.

"We are excited for the rollout of 988 in NJ and nationwide. Its launch marks an important milestone in timely access to mental health services and we believe 988 can help save lives,” Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman said in a statement.

“988 is more than just an easy-to-remember number. It will be a direct connection to accessible and compassionate support and resources, available 24/7 to anyone experiencing psychiatric or emotional distress or those worried about a loved one. Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis will only need to remember these three numbers to reach trained counselors who can help.”

In 2020, Congress voted to finalize the three-digit number for Americans can dial to be connected to a network of trained counselors.

The addition of the new number comes at a time when New Jersey residents are seeing a rise in mental health issues since the pandemic. According to a poll conducted by Stockton University, 58 percent of New Jersey residents said they or someone close to them experienced mental health issues. Of those saying they had experienced problems, 68 percent said that mental health had gotten worse during the pandemic.

In 2020, the national call line received 3.6 million chats calls and texts. With the 988 transitions, SAMHSA expects the call volume to double to 6 million in the first year.

New Jersey currently has five Lifeline centers responding to calls, chats or texts for help. These centers can respond to the 988 number and can route calls to a local Lifeline network crisis center by area code. If the local number is unable to take calls, it will be routed the national call center, according to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

However, many mental health and suicide prevention groups are concerned about the rollout of the new number, as they feel 988 could exhaust resources and result in long wait times and dropped calls, CNN reported.

The federal government has allocated about $282 million for strengthening local crisis call centers. But states are responsible for ensuring its sustainability in the long term, said Bloomberg.

Gov. Phil Murphy’s 2023 budget hopes to strengthen the state’s mental health system by providing additional funding. According to Adelman, the budget signed by Governor Murphy includes nearly $29 million for call line infrastructure and services that some callers may be connected to after they call.

The state also received $2.5 million to expand its current Lifeline centers.

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