Widespread Outage Temporarily Shuts Down 988 Mental Health Hotline — Text & Chat Still Available

There are reports across the country that as of early December 1, 2022, the recently-introduced 988 mental health hotline is, according to a recorded announcement, “experiencing a service outage.”Currently, there is no official timeline for when the hotline will be restored.However, individuals in distress can still connect with a mental health counselor by texting 988, or by starting a chat at 988lifeline.org.We urge anyone who is struggling to immediately take advantage of this free and confidential service. All counselors are trained and experienced and rely on established best practices and clinically-approved methods to give individuals the support they need. Counselors...