The 988 Lifeline Sees ‘Eye-Opening’ Rise in Calls
If you have been struggling, you are not the only one. And you are most certainly not alone. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline will see to it.
As a CNN article notes, since the July 2022 launch of the new 988 number, there has been “a significant rise in call volume – routing more than 2 million calls, texts and chat messages to call centers, with the majority being answered in under a minute.”
More people than ever are getting help, and getting it more quickly. “The average speed to answer year-over-year was about three minutes in 2021. It’s now 44 seconds in December of 2022,” said Dr. John Palmieri, deputy director of 988 and a senior medical advisor at the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The three-digit number replaces the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was designed to be easy to remember, like dialing 911 for emergency services. The name change was also designed to be more inclusive, for those in crisis who do not necessarily feel suicidal but need support, resources, and a compassionate listening ear.
On average, trained counselors spend 21 minutes and 55 talking, chatting or texting with callers.
Since the summer launch of 988, call volume has been brisk, with more than 300,000 calls, texts and chats coming in each month. SAMHSA reports that comparing December 2021 and December 2022, “calls answered increased by 48%, chats answered increased by 263% and texts answered increased by 1,445%.”
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/performance-metrics
“It’s really eye-opening to see the increase in the texts, chats and calls that are coming in,” said Hannah Wesolowski, the chief advocacy officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She added that before the launch of 988, many people likely needed mental health support but didn’t feel like there was a call service available for them.
“We see the uptick in volume as an indicator that more people are aware of the service and able to access it,” Kimberly Williams, CEO and president of Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit administrator and operator of the 988 lifeline.
Efforts are underway to expand the lifeline’s services. The number of call centers in Spanish have increased. In Washington state, “there’s a pilot currently providing specialized care access for individuals who are American Indian/Alaskan Natives to be able to be connected to an organization that’s focused more specifically on their needs,” said Palmieri.
It has also been testing a pilot program specifically for the LGBTQ+ community, in partnership with the Trevor Project, where youth can be connected to “counselors specially trained in LGBTQ-inclusive crisis care services.” The program has been well received and widely used, as LGBTQ+ youth are at a higher risk of suicide, said Palmieri.
Increased funding has been part of the lifeline’s success. In an announcement last month, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra noted, “Our country is facing unprecedented mental health and substance use crises among people of all ages and backgrounds.” So far, the Biden administration has invested nearly $1 billion in the 988 lifeline.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 to be connected to a trained counselor. Help is just three digits away.
Read the full article here.
Howard, Jacqueline. “New 988 mental health crisis line sees ‘eye opening’ rise in calls, texts, and chats in first six months, data shows.” CNN.com, 19 Jan 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/19/health/988-lifeline-first-six-months-cnn-analysis/index.html