Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Suicide & crisis lifeline

988 FAQ’s

• Is 988 a local service? 
  Family Services’ Lifeline is part of a national network of 988 call centers. When individuals dial 988 from an Essex, Franklin or Berkshire Massachusetts number, they will reach our call center. Calls placed from area codes will be directed to call centers in their geographic area.
• What happens when I call 988? 
  A trained crisis counselor answers the phone, listens to the caller, understands how their problem is affecting them, provides support, and shares resources if needed.
• Does calling the Lifeline really work?  
  Yes, the Lifeline works. Numerous studies have shown that most Lifeline call­ers are significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less over­whelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to a Lifeline crisis counselor.
• Will EMS or the police be sent if I call? 
  The primary goal of the Lifeline is to provide support for people in mental health-related distress or suicidal crisis in a manner that is helpful to them. The vast majority of those who call the Lifeline do not require any additional inter­ventions besides a caring person to talk to. While rare circumstances may warrant a response from police or EMS (for example, when a suicide attempt is in progress), the 988 response is always intended to promote stabilization and care in the least restrictive manner. In fact, fewer than 2% of Lifeline calls require voluntary or involuntary connection to emergency services like 911. 
• Is 988 available in other languages and for those hard of hearing or blind?
  The Lifeline currently provides services in English and Spanish and uses Language Line Solutions to provide translation services in over 250 other languages. Text and chat are currently available in English only. The Lifeline currently serves TTY users by dialing 711 then 1-800-273-8255 and is in the process of expanding to video phone service to better serve deaf or hard of hearing individuals seeking help.
• Is the Lifeline confidential?
  The Lifeline is deeply committed to maintaining caller anonymity and confidentiality. At no point are callers required to disclose any personal information and the content of each call will be kept strictly confidential. There are some instances, however, in which confidentiality must be breached to protect the lives of individuals, those instances are delineated in our Confidentiality Policy.