Press Release: For immediate release
Contact Information:
Lea Berhane, Chief Development, Marketing & Technology Officer
(650) 591-9623 x142
[email protected]
The StarVista Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Center to Answer 988 Calls in San Mateo County
July 16, 2022
San Carlos, CA – The StarVista Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Center will begin taking 988 calls on July 16th as part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network of Crisis Centers. Lifeline callers with a 650-area code will receive 24/7 free and confidential support through the StarVista Crisis Center hotline program.
In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to be operated through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sees 988 as a first step towards a transformed crisis care system in America. The current Lifeline number will continue to be available after the launch of 988 on July 16, 2022.
“The StarVista Crisis Center is honored to be one of the 13 call centers in the state of California quite literally answering the call of this new initiative,” says Taylor Coutts, Program Manager of StarVista’s Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Hotline. “Our hotline team is ready to support this initiative in this capacity and we look forward to the ways in which this will positively shape crisis services in our communities for years to come.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is composed of more than 200 local and state-funded Crisis Centers throughout the United States. The StarVista Crisis Center is a participating call center that operates the 24/7 Crisis Hotline 650-579-0350. Most calls to the Lifeline with a 650-area code are forwarded to the StarVista Crisis Center. With the addition of 988, the program expects to see an increase in calls to its center.
If you are a San Mateo County resident without a 650-area code and would like to access the StarVista Crisis Center, please call their local line at 650-579-0350.
StarVista is a nonprofit agency that delivers high-impact services through counseling, case management, skill development, and crisis prevention to children, youth, adults, and families. The StarVista Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Center provides suicide intervention services and programs for San Mateo County residents, including a 24-hour crisis hotline, mobile youth crisis response team, online and text teen crisis support, and educational presentations to the community and schools. It is accredited by the American Association of Suicidology and belongs to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline national network of crisis centers.