In a statement, FCC President Ajit Pai said:
“Some phone companies urged us to roll out 988 gradually. But we believe that a uniform implementation date will minimize the potentially deadly consumer confusion that could result from having 988 available in some, but not all, areas. And we reject calls for a longer implementation period. The record indicates that we can do this in two years, and the importance of the problem suggests that we should do it by then. It is literally a matter of life and death. “
According to the FCC, suicides claimed the lives of more than 48,000 Americans in 2018, meaning one death every 11 minutes. Since 2008, suicide has been the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. The statistics of marginalized groups are even more annoying. More than 20 veterans die by suicide every day. LGBTQ young adults are nearly four times more likely to consider suicide than heterosexual young adults, and suicide attempts among African-American teens skyrocketed 73 percent between 1991 and 2017.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides confidential and free support to people in crisis. Supporters hope that having a three-digit number will facilitate access to help for those who need it. The FCC first proposed this change last August.
Still, some fear that the effort falls short.
“[A]When we face the rise of teen suicide across the country, we must recognize that texting is their primary form of communication. Voice service has its benefits, but it is not native to most young people. So I’m sorry that today’s decision is anchored in older technologies and you go on to develop text messaging capabilities with this three-digit hotline. We should have done it here. I sincerely hope that we can do so in the future, “FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.
