FCC advances plans for 988, a national suicide-prevention hotline

The Federal Communications Commission is moving forward with plans to make 988 the nation's suicide prevention hotline in the face of a mental health pandemic that claims more than 130 Americans each day.

The agency says three digits will be simpler to remember in times of crisis, as 988 echoes the national 911 emergency hotline. "We believe that this three-digit number dedicated for this purpose will help ease access to crisis services, it will reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health conditions, and ultimately it will save lives," FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Thursday during the commission's open December meeting.

The proposal is now open for public comment before the agency begins the rulemaking process. Currently, the proposal calls for carriers to implement 988 within 18 months. The decision comes as the United States grapples with a spike in suicides, even as rates are on the decline in other parts of the world. The suicide rate hasn't been this high since World War II, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.