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Date: 8/15/2006

Talking Points Regarding Suicide Prevention Hotline

 We are working diligently to ensure that every person calling for help during a suicidal crisis is answered. Together with the federal Department of Health and Human Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the entire suicide prevention community, we are putting measures in place to make this happen. They include:

o Ensuring that the entire suicide-prevention community is working the phones and Internet to make sure that all referring agencies know that 1-800-273-TALK is the number to call for suicide intervention.

o Notifying service providers, including directory 411 and 211 operators, that 1-800-SUICIDE is scheduled to go out of service beginning August 12, 2006 and to direct callers to 1-800-273-TALK for help.

o Redirecting callers who call 1-800-SUICIDE to call 1-800-273-TALK through a recording.

 We acknowledge and appreciate the work done by the Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KBHC) and 1-800-SUICIDE to raise awareness of the important issue of suicide prevention.

o Help is still available through 1-800-273-TALK.

o We are in touch with local crisis centers, mental health organizations, and other providers to help them let their communities know that 1-800-273-TALK is available and accessible to those in need of suicidal crisis intervention.

 The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK, has already helped tens of thousands of callers. Since January 2005, the Lifeline has served as a central switchboard to immediately connect callers –24 hours a day, 7 days a week – to virtually the same network of certified local crisis centers accessed by 1-800-SUICIDE so callers can receive counseling or emergency services, if needed, close to home.

o All calls to the lifeline are private and confidential. SAMHSA, crisis centers participating in the Lifeline network, and the Mental Health Association of New York City—the private nonprofit that operates the Lifeline—do not collect or store personally identifiable information about callers to the Lifeline.

 The data remind us daily of the numbers of individuals – both young and old – who are in crisis and contemplating suicide. We recognize that both public and private-sector resources need to work to help stem the devastation suicide leaves behind for families, friends, colleagues, and communities.

• SAMHSA has made it publicly known that they have been and are willing to assume responsibility for maintaining 1-800-SUICIDE as a public service. SAMHSA is committed to ensuring that individuals in crisis have access to resources that may assist them and their families.

Please send any questions or concerns to Dr. Dan Reidenberg at dreidenberg@save.org.