Starting Monday, Idahoans will have free access to a new statewide suicide prevention hotline. The hotline — 1-800-273-TALK — will operate free of charge for callers. Since 2006, Idaho has been the only state in the country to not have a statewide suicide hotline. Idaho callers have most recently been directed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline that outsourced the calls to hotlines in other states. With the state hotline, Idahoans will talk to trained volunteers who are familiar with resources available on a regional and state level, according to a news release/Associated Press. More here.

Question: Anyone else wondering why this took so long?