FCC’s unanimous vote to launch 988 lauded by National Grange

WASHINGTON, DC (July 16, 2020) – National Grange President Betsy E. Huber released a statement on today’s unanimous vote by FCC Commissioners to establish the 3-digit suicide prevention number.

Today the commissioners of the FCC unanimously voted to save lives by establishing a national 988 hotline that will redirect people looking to harm themselves towards the National Suicide prevention hotline. This easy-to-remember number will help hundreds of thousands of individuals across America who are depressed and contemplating suicide. This action is particularly important for rural communities especially vulnerable because of vast shortages of mental health professionals. We have seen the success of 911 and know that 988 will have a similar legacy.

Suicides in rural communities leave rippling effects beyond just the loss of an individual. Rural communities are interconnected. Suicide reverberates beyond just family and friends. This new health resource has the potential to dramatically help those who are struggling in their most vulnerable moments.

The suicide rate in rural America is more than 30 percent higher than in urban areas, and our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers suffer higher rates of suicide and mental distress than nearly any other profession.

The move by the FCC makes the telehealth service of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline more accessible and well known, especially in our underserved, over-stressed rural communities. Telehealth is vital not just for mental health, as we know there is a shortage of all kinds of healthcare providers. In addition, mental health may be one of the most acutely underserved healthcare areas we have in rural America, where more than three-quarters of rural communities do not have adequate access to mental health providers. There is also a vast shortage of rural physicians, the first and only healthcare providers rural individuals confide in when contemplating suicide. By establishing 9-8-8, the FCC clears the way for easy access to vital counseling services that will save lives all across our nation.