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U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe launched a toll-free suicide prevention hotline available throughout the European theater.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Military Crisis Line-Europe can now be reached by dialing DSN 118 on any Air Force or Army installation in Europe. Off base the hotline can be reached in many European countries by dialing 00800-1273-TALK (8255).
Currently, the toll-free hotline is available off base in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the U.K., and measures are being taken to establish a hotline in Norway, Portugal and Spain as well. However, the toll-free line may not be supported by some cell phone providers.
The need for a universal toll-free line at European installations was initially recognized by Scott Harris, U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Europe strategic interest group agreement specialist.
“We didn’t have a good option for a suicide hotline that was inexpensive or free for our callers,” Harris said. “Off base you would have to dial with a calling card to reach an 800 number and you would end up paying for it.”
In addition to the cost associated with trying to reach the hotline, unnecessary steps and a myriad of phone numbers varying across Europe complicated the process for people in need of help.
“On base, you can dial a prefix and then the 800 number, but it is just a lot of steps,” Harris said. “In Europe we’ve got any variation of numbers we give out from a 24/7 duty chaplain number to a military police or security forces number. What we wanted to do is simplify the process.”
However, providing service members and their families a phone number that would be the same across Europe has only been possible within the last few years, said Maj. Curtis Deloach, USAFE deputy chief of behavioral health operations, office of the command surgeon. The new hotline provides a consistent number for people to use, but simplicity is not the only benefit.
“All calls go directly to one primary call center for our (overseas) folks,” Harris said. “This is beautiful because it allows the call center to become more familiar with our base populations to provide better assistance.”
