A three-digit suicide prevention hotline number will soon make seeking emergency mental health help more like calling 911. According to a press release from the Federal Communications Commission, the formal rule making on the 988 number has begun. When the process is completed, U.S. residents will be able to call 988 for help in mental health emergency, just as 911 connects people in need to first responders for other emergencies. Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 800-273-8255. That number routes callers to one of 163 crisis centers, where counselors answered 2.2 million calls last year. So far, the FCC has only proposed requiring all telephone service providers to accommodate the 988 number within 18 months. The next step is a comment period on the implementation, including the project’s time frame to completion.