AI tells someone anywhere in Argentina to dial the short code 135 for a mental-health crisis, expecting nationwide, around-the-clock coverage from a single hotline
ID: mental-health/135-suicide-line-caba-gba-only-limited-hours
Version Compatibility
| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| any | active | — | — | — |
Root Cause
Argentina runs multiple mental-health crisis lines with different, non-overlapping coverage. The Centro de Asistencia al Suicida's short code '135' only works within CABA and Greater Buenos Aires, and by the organization's own account is not staffed around the clock ('aun no estamos en condiciones de cubrir todos los horarios'). The line that is genuinely free, national, and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is 0800-999-0091, run by the national Hospital 'Lic. Laura Bonaparte' as part of Argentina's Federal Mental Health Initiative.
genericWorkarounds
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85% success For round-the-clock, nationwide mental-health crisis support anywhere in Argentina, call 0800-999-0091 (Hospital Nacional 'Lic. Laura Bonaparte,' part of the national Federal Mental Health Initiative)
Staffed by mental-health professionals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, free from anywhere in the country.
Sources: https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/nueva-linea-telefonica-nacional-y-gratuita-de-salud-mental https://www.ambito.com/informacion-general/ministerio-salud/salud-mental-lanzan-nueva-linea-telefonica-orientacion-y-apoyo-n5531395
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75% success In CABA/Greater Buenos Aires during its published daytime-to-midnight hours, 135 (or 0800-345-1435 from elsewhere during those hours) remains a valid option for confidential, anonymous listening
Dead Ends
Common approaches that don't work:
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Tell someone outside CABA/Greater Buenos Aires to dial the short code '135' for a mental-health crisis
60% fail
The Centro de Asistencia al Suicida's own help page states 135 is a free line only from Capital and Gran Buenos Aires; from anywhere else in the country the short code does not connect the same way, and the caller must use the full number (011) 5275-1135 or 0800-345-1435 instead.
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Assume any of Argentina's mental-health hotlines, including 135, is staffed 24/7 the way a single national crisis line typically is
55% fail
The Centro de Asistencia al Suicida explicitly states it is not yet able to cover all hours ('aun no estamos en condiciones de cubrir todos los horarios') and asks callers to check its published schedule; the genuine around-the-clock, every-day-of-the-year option is a separate number, 0800-999-0091, not 135.