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    988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    Also known as 988, 988 Lifeline, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

    The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is the free, confidential US crisis line, reachable by call, text or chat 24 hours a day through a network of over 200 local crisis centers.[1] It went live in July 2022, and about 19.1 million contacts were routed to crisis centers through September 2025.[2][3] Its LGBTQ+ youth "Press 3" option, ended in July 2025, resumed on 30 September 2026 after Congress required it.[4][5]

    Editor reviewedStrict sourcingUpdated WikiMental health, Health and medicine, Tech policy
    Key facts

    If you are thinking about suicide or are in emotional distress, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org (US).[1] In the UK and Ireland, call Samaritans free on 116 123.[6] Elsewhere, find a local helpline at findahelpline.com.[7]

    The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is the United States’ national three-digit crisis line. It offers free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, 24 hours a day, across the US and its territories, through a network of over 200 local crisis centers.[1] This page is general information, not medical advice.

    How it works

    People can call or text 988, or chat online, and conversations are confidential.[1][8] Veterans, service members and their families can press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line, and Spanish-language support is available by pressing 2 or texting AYUDA.[9] The Lifeline also invites people to make contact to help a friend or loved one.[10] Since September 2024, mobile calls are georouted to a crisis center near the caller’s approximate location rather than by area code, and the FCC made this mandatory for all wireless carriers in October 2024.[11]

    History

    The service began as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1 January 2005, funded by a SAMHSA grant to Vibrant Emotional Health and operating through 109 crisis centers on a 1-800 number.[12] The FCC adopted rules on 16 July 2020 establishing 988 as the national crisis code, Congress enacted the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act on 17 October 2020, and FCC rules extended 988 to text in November 2021.[13] The 988 number went live on 16 July 2022, replacing the 10-digit 1-800-273-TALK number, and the Lifeline received over 2.1 million contacts in its first six months.[2][14] Vibrant was awarded a five-year grant in fiscal 2022 to administer the Lifeline.[15]

    Use and performance

    GAO found that about 19.1 million calls, texts and chats were routed to 988 crisis centers from July 2022 through September 2025.[3] Call volume grew by about 87%, texts by about 260% and chats by about 23% over that period.[16] Call answer rates rose, while text and chat answer rates and average time to answer fluctuated.[17] About 76% of calls were answered at local centers, rising from about 74% in July 2022 to about 83% in September 2025.[18] SAMHSA set a goal for local centers to answer more than 90% of texts and chats by September 2026, and plans to route texts by approximate location by April 2027.[19][20] SAMHSA measures the Lifeline’s capacity mainly through contact volume, answer rates and time to answer, and GAO found it had set long- and near-term goals for the service.[21]

    On outcomes, the Lifeline cites independent evaluations by a Columbia University team showing callers feel less suicidal, depressed and overwhelmed, and more hopeful, after contact.[22] A 2026 JAMA study estimated that suicides among 15- to 34-year-olds were 11.0% lower than forecast from pre-launch trends between July 2022 and December 2024, about 4,372 fewer deaths.[23] Its authors cautioned that an observational design cannot rule out other changes over the same period, and a published letter argued the estimates should account for differences between states.[24][25]

    The “Press 3” LGBTQ+ youth option

    A specialised option for LGBTQ+ youth, known as “Press 3”, launched in 2022 with The Trevor Project as its pilot provider and handled roughly 1.6 million contacts.[26] The federal government announced in June 2025 that it would be eliminated, and it ended on 17 July 2025.[4] SAMHSA told GAO the service was discontinued because its federal funding had been fully expended.[27] Senators Tammy Baldwin and Lisa Murkowski introduced a bill to restore it, and Congress’s fiscal 2026 appropriations law included $33.1 million and a directive to bring it back.[28][29] The option resumed on 30 September 2026.[5] HHS said it remains aligned with the President’s executive orders on gender, and The Trevor Project said the administration told Congress the service must comply with one of them.[30]

    Funding

    SAMHSA funds and oversees the Lifeline; local centers may also be funded through state appropriations and state 988 telecommunications fees.[31] Twelve states have enacted dedicated 988 fees.[32] Surveys of people who run the service point to strain: in 2024 only 10% of professionals involved fully agreed funding met demand, and in 2025 71% of center leaders reported understaffing.[33][34] The crisis-line funding debate covers the arguments, and the 988 and crisis-care tracker follows developments.

    Next in the crash course

    Questions readers ask

    How do I contact the 988 Lifeline?

    Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across the US and its territories.[1][8]

    Is 988 only for people thinking about suicide?

    No. The Lifeline supports people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, and you can contact it to get help for a friend or loved one.[1][10]

    Is there a veterans or Spanish-language option?

    Yes. Veterans, service members and their families can call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. Spanish-speaking counselors are available by calling 988 and pressing 2 or texting AYUDA to 988.[9]

    What happened to the 988 "Press 3" option for LGBTQ+ youth?

    It launched in 2022 and handled about 1.6 million contacts before the federal government ended it on 17 July 2025. Congress then funded its restoration with $33.1 million, and it resumed on 30 September 2026.[26][4][29][5]

    Does 988 work?

    The Lifeline says evaluations show callers feel less suicidal and more hopeful afterwards. An observational 2026 JAMA study estimated 11% fewer suicides than expected among 15- to 34-year-olds after launch, but could not establish cause and effect.[22][23][24]

    Sources

    · 35 claims from 14 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential emotional support by call, text or chat to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day across the US and its territories, through a network of over 200 local crisis centers. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    2. [2]

      The 988 number went live on 16 July 2022, replacing the 10-digit 1-800-273-TALK number as the main way to reach the Lifeline. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    3. [3]

      GAO found that about 19.1 million calls, texts and chats were routed to 988 crisis contact centers from July 2022 through September 2025. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    4. [4]

      The federal government announced on 17 June 2025 that the Press 3 option would be eliminated, and it ended on 17 July 2025. confirmedas of 2026-09-30

    5. [5]

      The Press 3 option resumed on 30 September 2026, its first operation since July 2025. confirmedas of 2026-09-30

    6. [6]

      In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be called free on 116 123, day or night. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    7. [7]

      Find A Helpline lists free, confidential helplines verified with crisis centers in more than 175 countries. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    8. [8]

      Conversations with the 988 Lifeline by call, text or chat are confidential, according to the Lifeline. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      Veterans, service members and their families can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, and Spanish-speaking counselors are available by calling 988 and pressing 2 or texting AYUDA to 988. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    10. [10]

      The 988 Lifeline invites people to call, text or chat with a counselor to support a friend or loved one as well as themselves, at any time of day or night. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    11. [11]

      Georouting of 988 voice calls, which routes mobile calls by approximate location rather than area code, launched on 17 September 2024, and the FCC adopted rules on 18 October 2024 requiring it for all wireless calls to 988. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    12. [12]

      The 988 Lifeline grew out of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, launched on 1 January 2005 with a SAMHSA grant to Vibrant Emotional Health using 1-800-273-8255 and 109 crisis centers. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    13. [13]

      The FCC adopted rules on 16 July 2020 establishing 988 as the nationwide three-digit crisis code, and the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 was signed into law on 17 October 2020; FCC rules extended 988 to text in November 2021. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    14. [14]

      In the six months after 988 launched, the Lifeline received over 2.1 million contacts, according to a 2024 peer-reviewed policy analysis. confirmedas of 2024-04-17

    15. [15]

      Vibrant Emotional Health was awarded a five-year grant in fiscal 2022 to administer the 988 Lifeline. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    16. [16]

      From July 2022 through September 2025, 988 call volume rose by about 87%, text volume by about 260% and chat volume by about 23%, GAO found. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    17. [17]

      GAO reported that 988 call answer rates increased over time, while text and chat answer rates and average time to answer fluctuated. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    18. [18]

      About 76% of 988 calls from July 2022 through September 2025 were answered at local crisis centers, rising from about 74% in July 2022 to about 83% in September 2025. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    19. [19]

      SAMHSA set a goal for local crisis centers to answer more than 90% of the texts and chats they receive by September 2026, GAO reported. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    20. [20]

      Texts and chats to 988 are routed by area code or zip code, and SAMHSA plans to begin routing texts by approximate location by April 2027 under an FCC rule. reportedas of 2026-07-01· forecast

    21. [21]

      GAO found SAMHSA had set long- and near-term goals for the 988 Lifeline and used contact volume, answer rates and time to answer to assess its capacity. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    22. [22]

      The 988 Lifeline says it has been independently evaluated by a Columbia University team since its inception and that studies show callers feel less suicidal, depressed and overwhelmed, and more hopeful, after connecting with a counselor. reportedas of 2026-10-11

    23. [23]

      An observational study in JAMA (April 2026) estimated that from the July 2022 launch of 988 through December 2024, suicides among US 15- to 34-year-olds were 11.0% lower than forecast from pre-launch trends - 35,529 observed versus about 39,901 expected, or roughly 4,372 fewer deaths. confirmedas of 2026-04-22

    24. [24]

      The JAMA study's authors said its observational design cannot account for simultaneous changes in mental health services, public awareness or socioeconomic conditions, limiting causal interpretation. confirmedas of 2026-04-22

    25. [25]

      In a JAMA letter, Jonathan Purtle argued the 988 mortality estimates could be improved by accounting for differences between states in how the Lifeline was implemented and in state-level context. confirmedas of 2026-08-17

    26. [26]

      The 988 Lifeline's "Press 3" option for LGBTQ+ youth launched in 2022, piloted by The Trevor Project, and handled roughly 1.6 million contacts before it was shut down in July 2025. confirmedas of 2026-10-01

    27. [27]

      According to GAO, SAMHSA said the LGBTQ+ youth service was discontinued on 17 July 2025 because its federal funding had been fully expended; the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 restored funding and directed SAMHSA to provide the service. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    28. [28]

      In September 2025 Senators Tammy Baldwin and Lisa Murkowski introduced the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Access Act to restore the service, and a bipartisan group of House members wrote to HHS in February 2026 demanding its restoration. confirmedas of 2026-10-01

    29. [29]

      Congress's fiscal 2026 appropriations law, passed in early 2026, included $33.1 million and a directive requiring HHS to restore the Press 3 service. confirmedas of 2026-10-01

    30. [30]

      Asked about the restored service, HHS told Spectrum News it "remains fully aligned" with President Trump's executive orders on what it called gender ideology; The Trevor Project said a June 2026 letter to Congress stated the service must comply with an anti-transgender executive order. reportedas of 2026-09-30

    31. [31]

      SAMHSA funds and oversees the 988 Lifeline, and local crisis centers may also be funded through state appropriations, state-enacted 988 telecommunications fees or other sources. confirmedas of 2026-07-01

    32. [32]

      Twelve states have enacted dedicated 988 telecommunications fees, including Illinois and Minnesota, while other states rely on annual appropriations and federal grants. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    33. [33]

      In a 2024 survey of 384 professionals involved in 988, published in Psychiatric Services, only 10% completely agreed that the Lifeline had sufficient funding to meet demand. confirmedas of 2025-10-01

    34. [34]

      In a 2025 survey of 988 center leaders published in JAMA Network Open (159 of 206 centers responding), 71% said their center was understaffed and 89% reported difficulty acquiring resources to hire. confirmedas of 2026-05-01

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Jan 11, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/wiki/988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline

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