| I knew there was a National Suicide Prevention Hotline, but I had no clue there was going to be a new three-digit 988 emergency call number until you sent me that article about it. Why isn’t it in the mainstream? They need to start promoting it! |
| First of all, it is called a “lifeline,” not a “hotline.” And, I know I am being literal, but we need to get over the stigma associated with mental health issues or experiencing an emotional crisis. If someone was drowning, would there be a stigma about throwing them a lifeline? Of course not. It would be expected. |
| Good point. And I think they should use celebrities to promote the new “988” number. Especially as more and more celebrities use their fame and public platforms to shed light on mental health issues, it makes “mere mortals” realize they’re not alone. And feel more comfortable admitting their own struggles and, more importantly, seeking help. |
| I hope the decision to change the name to Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will let people know there are trained counselors to help them with an assortment of issues, not only suicide. |
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| Whenever I hear about the increasing number of deaths by suicide, especially by younger people, it breaks my heart. And when I read about mass killings, I can’t help but wonder if they couldn’t have been prevented if we had better mental health care. |
| Do not get me on that soapbox. But, this is a step in the right direction. Although, I am concerned whether the crisis centers are prepared for the potential volume of calls. I know there is over $400 million in federal funding to expand the system. However, the technology to automatically forward a 988 call to a nationwide support network is easy; being ready for the influx of calls and range of issues is entirely different. |
| No kidding. I bet the current system saw a huge increase during the pandemic, and that was having to use a 10-digit number. But I’ll say they did a good job publicizing that number. |
| I know you do not want the numbers, but the current 10-digit number (which still works) received 3.6 million calls, chats, and texts in 2011, and more than 20 million calls on behalf of people calling for themselves or others since it was launched in 2005. But, it is critical to remember those “numbers” represent people, and have a ripple effect. |
| Then I can only imagine the impact of this change to 988. It could be huge! |
| That is the plan. The transition to a simplified three-digit number is meant to increase access. Similar to 911, but more specifically targeted. And, hopefully, widely used. |
| So, what can we do to get the word out? |
| Hope people share this post … |
P.S. – Want to help? Understanding the issues concerning mental health and suicide is an important way to help people in crisis, and to change the conversations around mental health. So, please take a moment to see how!
Take a moment and imagine not being able to read this sentence. Now, think about this … if you’re reading this, you’re doing something millions of Americans can’t.
|
I’ll admit that I never realized how many people can’t read.
It’s something I’ve always taken for
granted. That’s until Black and I met
someone doing something about it – Jackie Aguilera, now the Project Manager for
the Mayor’s Office of Adult
Literacy (Houston). Her focus
wasn’t only on reading literacy but on “literacies” I’d never heard of, such as
financial literacy, health literacy, and digital literacy. But it all starts
with the ability to read. |
|
It
is called functional
literacy. Obviously, if you
are reading this article, you are on the internet. Which has more information than anyone can
possibly absorb (and is why news literacy is so critical). Now,
imagine if you could not read. All that
information … just sitting there.
Available to others, but not to you. |
|
Books are my great escape. Always have been. So, I can’t
imagine a life without them. |
|
A great escape … in many ways. You may use it to escape from the stresses of
daily life or just as entertainment. But,
books and, more specifically, the ability to read is how people can escape a
life of poverty and limited opportunities.
|
| Working with Jackie made me see that. As did our work with the criminal justice system, as so many incarcerated people struggle to read. And I know you’re a data geek, but please don’t start quoting me statistics. |
| OK, no statistics, but did you know that more people in the US are affected by low literacy (meaning they cannot read at a sixth-grade level) than are diagnosed with cancer or heart disease? |
Over the years, as we’ve learned how many people can’t read (including one in three Houstonians), it’s made us stop and think about how that impacts every aspect of their lives … their families … their communities. And also … our communities and our country.
As former First Lady Barbara Bush said many years ago,
If you help a person to read, then their opportunities in life will be endless.
| I have a confession to make, which I’m sure will make you roll your eyes. |
| Interesting caveat and probably true. |
| Every time we talk with Jackie (Aguilera) from the Mayor’s Office of Adult Literacy and hear what she’s doing in the world of adult education, I feel like I’m back in school and having to take copious notes. |
| I am more than happy to send you “homework assignments” as I come across relevant articles and research. |
| Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll stick to taking notes. But that does explain why you’re so knowledgeable about literacy. |
| But, reading information is very different from being at the forefront of literacy innovation. And, if we had never met Jackie, I never would have realized how literacy is about more than reading and writing. |
| But that alone is such a critical part of all of our lives and can make the difference between struggling and success. Although I never stopped to think about any of that before we met Jackie. |
| The funny thing is we first met her because of financial literacy. |
| Yes, I remember, even though it was over a decade ago. It was shortly after our book was approved as a financial literacy textbook by the (Texas) State Board of Education, and you decided we should go to a Houston Money Week meeting. I didn’t think we were qualified to talk about the topic. |
| I did not feel qualified to decide whether or not we could be of any help until I better understood what they did. |
| That’s why I let you do the talking when “newbies” had to introduce themselves. Plus, I’d have talked their ears off. But after the meeting, this confident but very approachable woman came striding across the room, extended her hand to me, and introduced herself. At the time, she was Literacy Coordinator at EastSide University. |
| All I remember was her energy, commitment, and passion for financial literacy. Not usually a topic discussed with such enthusiasm. |
| There’s an understatement. And not only did it take me by surprise, but I hate to admit it, it was contagious. Especially once we started working with her. |
| Another confession? |
| Maybe. I still shake my head in amazement at the incredibly creative ways she makes personal finance, typically such a “boring” topic, come alive. And how she uses outside-the-box approaches to making learning relevant. |
| But, it is not only financial literacy. It also includes digital literacy, health literacy, and even news literacy and environmental literacy. Which is why I am honored that she asked us to create various “Conversation Starters” she could use at presentations and workshops. |
| I never imagined they could be used to talk about serious concepts in a light-hearted and fun way. Even if she points out how I was a poster child for not being “literate” when it comes to an assortment of life topics. |
| I dislike the term “literacy” because it makes people feel like they are “illiterate” when they do not know something. In reality, they may never have been exposed to the information or given an opportunity to learn it. |
| I can tell you first-hand that, initially, I felt stupid until you pointed out I was merely sheltered. But that’s given me so much more empathy when I think of other people in the same position I was once in. |
| That is why she likes the “Conversation Starters” – they make the topics accessible in a non-threatening way. |
| And helps us realize that literacy impacts every aspect of our lives since it is so much more than reading and writing. Raising awareness of that and talking about it with others, especially our families, can have a huge ripple effect. |
| That is the purpose of September being designated National Literacy Month. |
| September seems the perfect time to learn something new. It’s like being back in school, except you can put the knowledge to work immediately. |
| And, this year, with elections just months away, it is the perfect time to learn about news literacy. |
| Oh, I know better … |