Revamped Mental Health Crisis Hotline Fields 10M Calls in First Two Years

WASHINGTON — Since its launch two years ago, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has fielded more than 10 million calls, texts and chat contacts from people experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises, the Department of Health and Human Services announced this week.

“We’re connecting more people to help than ever before,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a written statement marking the milestone. 

“We’re connecting them faster and with more personalized services, which are critical for helping people in crisis. We know that 988 is saving lives and helping millions of people. I hope anyone who feels alone, or that they are without options, knows that 988 is there to help,” he said.

The crisis line came into existence as a 10-digit number, but was changed to a three-digit number in 2022 as part of an expanded effort by the Biden administration to address what the White House acknowledged was a “national mental health crisis.”

Since then the administration has invested over $1.5 billion in the effort, expanding access to services to those with hearing-related disabilities (through videophone contacts in American Sign Language), Spanish speakers, and LGBTQ+ youths and young adults.

In addition to HHS, which is spearheading the expansion, other federal government partners include the Department of Veterans Affairs and Federal Communications Commission.

HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm said the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is at the heart of the administration’s commitment to transforming the nation’s behavioral health system and reducing suicide rates across the country.

“We have worked to champion a ‘no wrong door’ strategy for accessing help for mental health, but it’s clear there are still a lot of people who feel they have run out of options,” Palm said. “My message to those who are struggling: you are not alone, we hear you, and we are here to help.”

Of the 10 million contacts answered in the past two years, 1.7 million were texts – with 988 answering 51% more texts in the past 12 months than the year before.

Since a second expansion of services in 2023, 988 counselors have answered about 20,000 Spanish-language chats and texts; more than 475,000 LGBTQI+ youth and young adult texts, calls, and chats; and about 20,000 videophone contacts in ASL.

In addition, almost 1.2 million of the 988 calls taken over the past two years were answered by the Veterans Crisis Line through 988’s Press 1 option, one of the ways veterans, service members and their families can reach that special crisis line. 

Veterans and their supporters have reached VCL through phone, online chat and text over 2 million times since July 2022.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement that connecting the Veterans Crisis Line to the 988 system has made it “even easier for veterans in crisis and their loved ones to reach out for help.

“One veteran lost to suicide is too many. We’re supporting more veterans than ever through the 988 initiative and will not rest in our continued efforts to spread the word that this resource is available and saves lives.”

Later this year, geo-routing technology is expected to help improve cell phone users’ connectivity to local services, by routing 988 callers and texters based on their approximate physical location versus area code. 

According to HHS officials, geo-routing allows callers to maintain additional privacy because, unlike geolocation, it does not provide a precise location. 

Earlier this year, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to require 988 georouting to be implemented for all wireless calls to the 988 Lifeline. 

“This milestone shines a light on the need for vital behavioral health services across the country,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. 

“From implementing the easy-to-remember 3-digit code, to requiring text-to-988, to reporting outages, the FCC’s efforts have advanced 988 as a valuable place to seek help, no matter who you are or where you live,” she said. “That’s why our continued efforts to improve 988 are so important.”

Speaking specifically of the geo-routing project, Rosenworcel said the goal is to enable callers in crisis to get help near where they are, instead of just based on the area code of their device.

“This is critical for students away from family and friends, those who have recently relocated, and anyone who has a number that does not correlate with where they are when they need assistance in a crisis,” she added.

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