Keller @ Large: One year later, national 988 suicide hotline is saving lives
BOSTON – Everyone knows that 911 is the number to call in the event of an emergency. Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton hopes everyone also knows who to contact when they're experiencing a mental health crisis.
Moulton was the co-sponsor of a bipartisan bill that established 988 as a suicide and crisis lifeline. The number launched one year ago this month.
Moulton spoke to WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller about how important the new resource has been.
"You wake up in the middle of the night and your house is on fire, god forbid, you don't have to go find a phone book to dial the fire department. Everyone knows you dial 911," Moulton said. "We wanted to make it that everybody in America, if you wake up in the middle of the night, you or a loved one have a mental health crisis, you'll just know dial 988 and get help."
Moulton said that since the hotline launched in July 2022, calls are up about 50% and texts to the line are up over 1,000%.
Keller @ Large: Part 2