In many parts of the US, it has long been possible to make local calls with just the seven-digit phone number; the three-digit area code was implicit for calls between numbers using the same area code ...

A simpler suicide hotline launches July 16. The three digits are meant to be easy for those in a mental health crisis to remember and dial. But most states aren't prepared to meet the volume of calls.

In this Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, photo, a man uses a cell phone in New Orleans. Quick help for suicidal thoughts and other mental health emergencies may soon be as easy as 9-8-8. The United States’ ...

To reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for mental health crises, it now takes only three digits: 988. On Saturday, Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit that operates the lifeline on ...