Americans Who Are Deaf Can Now Use 988 Suicide Helpline
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Physician’s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Sept. 11, 2023 -- The U.S. government's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is expanding its reach to help more people. The crisis line has now launched services in American Sign Language (ASL) to help callers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The ASL services were launched on Friday, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"Individuals across America who use ASL as their primary language can now readily access the support they need during a mental health crisis," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in an agency news release. "With the introduction of 988 ASL services, we are taking a significant stride forward in providing inclusive and accessible support for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community."
The services use a videophone device that transmits video and audio. It can be reached by clicking "ASL Now" on 988lifeline.org. Callers can alternatively call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) but will soon also be able to directly dial to 988 by videophone.
"After years of advocacy to ensure that 988 is available to everyone not only through voice calls, but also texting and video for sign language users, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is thrilled that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is now available to use through video calls in sign language," said NAD CEO Howard A. Rosenblum. "We encourage anyone going through a crisis or thinking about suicide to contact 988 in any way preferred -- voice, text, or sign language."
The new move is part of an ongoing effort by the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to add accessibility to behavioral health care. An earlier update added Spanish-speaking services by text and chat.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted September 2023
Read this next
Perinatal Suicide Tied to Intimate Partner Problems, Depression, Substance Use
WEDNESDAY, July 3, 2024 -- Perinatal suicide is often associated with intimate partner problems (IPPs) and behavioral health issues, according to a study published online...
High Social Media Use Tied to Depression in Only Some Teens
TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- High social media use is only tied to increased depression in teens who are already vulnerable, according to a study published online June 26 in...
Small Differences in Weight Change With First-Line Antidepressants
MONDAY, July 1, 2024 -- For eight first-line antidepressants, small differences are seen in mean weight change, with the least weight gain with bupropion, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.