(Montreal) The brand new suicide prevention hotline 988 will be available in Canada on November 30th. However, if we promise 24/7 service from coast to coast, this number will not replace the Quebec structure and neither the ministry nor the aid agencies will promote it.
Published at 10:40 am.
Ugo Giguère The Canadian Press
In summary, very few stakeholders involved want federal line 988 in Quebec, including the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS), the Regroupement des Centers de Prevention du Suicide du Québec (RCPSQ), and the Association québécoise suicide prevention program (AQPS). .
The office of the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, confirms that no form of funding for 988 is planned. However, we continue to work with federal authorities to ensure that calls from Quebec are properly routed to 1866 APPELLE.
The acting president and CEO of the AQPS, Luc Massicotte, reiterates that “the 988 will not replace the APPELLES of 1866” and that his organization will not increase its popularity. However, he insists on reassuring the public by claiming that “from November 30th no one will fall between two stools”.
All stakeholders interviewed by The Canadian Press praised the effectiveness of the current structure, which relies on the 1-866-APPELLES phone number, 535-353 text message number and chat on the Suicide.ca platform.
Although she recognizes that using a three-digit number could be beneficial, RCPSQ Director General Claudia Charron believes that knowledge of the 1866 APPELLE number is increasing every year.
“People in the area know this resource well because it has been established for several years,” she notes.
In particular, the many stakeholders interviewed believe that the strength of the Quebec structure lies in its regional approach. Each call is answered by a resource located in the region where the person in distress is coming from. We are therefore better able to understand our reality and align it with the surrounding resources.
We also prefer a different approach by focusing more on the caller’s protective factors. “It is a special expertise that we have in Quebec,” explains Mélanie Lapierre from the Suicide Prevention Center 02 in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. We work on hope. We don’t really spend time talking about suicidal thoughts and the person’s problematic situation. »
There is therefore a fear among intervention teams that compliance with 988 will mean having to abandon the Quebec approach in favor of uniform Canadian methods. Other risks are a concern, including technical problems that could occur if calls were lost in the system. “The focus will be very much on technical security,” emphasizes Claudia Charron. We want calls to stay within the caller’s area. We don’t want a call from Quebec to be answered by someone who speaks French in Saskatchewan. »
No delays in sight
At the federal level, the project appears to be going well, according to official information from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
The CRTC is tasked with ensuring the technical deployment of the new emergency number across the country. By email, a spokesperson assured that the service would be available in all provinces and territories as planned starting November 30.
PHAC is responsible for ensuring that competent professionals are available to answer calls at all times. Here too, a spokesman assures that the service will be ready on time.
Prevention teams in Quebec also want to be well prepared, as we know that any communication initiative related to suicide prevention will inevitably lead to an increase in call volume. A reality that organizations in every region are well aware of.
Do you need help ?
If you need support, are having suicidal thoughts or are worried about a loved one, call 1 866 APPELLE (1 866 277-3553). A suicide prevention officer is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can also visit the website commentparlerdusuicide.com
The Canadian Press health content is funded through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial selection.