It’s been two months since the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline numbers went live, and we’ve seen a surge in people contacting them since the switch.
Nationally, over 83,000 additional contacts were made in August compared to June.
Calls to the Veterans Affairs Crisis Line are not included in these figures, but veterans are at a higher risk of suicide than non-veterans.
Data show that suicide among veterans has declined over the past two years.
“If there’s one positive aspect of the pandemic from my perspective, it’s that the whole country, including veterans, is really open about the importance of mental health, wellness, well-being, and that mental health is physical health. I think it’s a great conversation,” said Matthew A. Miller, who leads suicide prevention at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Veterans Health Administration said it was successfully using artificial intelligence to identify veterans at highest risk of suicide.
The computer scans the electronic medical records of patients in the system to identify those showing signs of danger.
“Facing a particular medical problem or medical complication is a risk factor for many people, and from a medical standpoint puts them at higher risk,” Miller said. For example, we found a relationship between risk for suicide and suicide prevention.”
Resources to help are available by calling 988.
