There is growing pressure on the federal government to set up a three-digit suicide hotline.
Posted at 2:38 p.m.
The United States has just established 988 to provide its residents with suicidal thoughts with an easy-to-remember phone number to speak to mental health counselors rather than the police.
Allison Crawford, chief medical officer of Let’s Talk Suicide Canada, believes that such a helpline represents the ultimate in telephone suicide prevention.
Like other experts, she says a system like 988 would allow Canadians to have easier access to emergency assistance. It would demonstrate to those in distress that suicide prevention is taken seriously.
In 2020, the House of Commons had voted unanimously to set up a three-digit suicide prevention line.
A spokesperson for the federal health ministry said the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is studying the technical implications of a three-digit phone number. The ministry expects a decision by the end of the year.
Need help ?
If you need support, if you are having suicidal thoughts or if you are worried about someone close to you, contact 1 866 APPELLE (1 866 277-3553). A suicide prevention worker is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This article was produced with the financial support of the Meta Fellowships and The Canadian Press for News.