Washington • The U.S. House this week passed legislation by Rep. Chris Stewart to create a three-digit suicide prevention hotline, similar to summoning emergency responders by dialing 911, that would allow those considering ending their lives an easy-to-remember number to call for help.
“Every nine minutes someone commits suicide in the U.S. and for every suicide-related death there are 25 attempts,” Stewart said after the House passed the measure 379-1. “These are truly heartbreaking statistics and sadly they hit close to home.”
Stewart says the current national hotline number is “cumbersome and hard to recall.