Does the 988 Crisis Line Really Help People?

Summary: Yes, the new 988 crisis line really helps people. A report published in 2025 shows that when the federal government implemented the new, three-digit emergency line in 2022, calls to the line increased, and rates of suicide dropped.

Key Points:

• Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth and young adults 10-34 in the U.S.
• In 2024 a total of 48,824 people died by suicide in the U.S., including 5,915 people age 15-24.
• Rates of suicide in the U.S. increased between 2010 and 2022.
• Rates of suicide for all age groups decreased between 2022 and 2024 after the implementation of the 988 Lifeline.

In Crisis, Connection Counts: Having a Lifeline Matters

In July 2022, federal, state, and local organizations partnered to implement a new mental health and suicide crisis hotline. The old, ten-digit number, 1-800-273-8255, operated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) since 2005, was replaced by the new, easier to remember, three-digit number, 988.

The operators of the 988 Lifeline respond to texts, chats, or phone calls from people in crisis who need support for the following issues:

• Mental health problems
• Drug overdose
• Suicidality

The line is open and staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When a person calls 988, they hear a message with options to connect them to immediate support from an expert counselor trained in their area of need. Options exist for veterans, Spanish speakers, and other specific groups of people. Once the caller chooses their preferred option, the service connects them to specialized support in their area(s) of need closest to their area code or stated location.

In addition to Spanish, the 988 line uses a translation service capable of supporting callers in over 240 languages.

At its core, the purpose of 988 is to offer short-term crisis support from experienced, compassionate counselors. They inquire about the crisis, gather information about immediate safety concerns, and collect details of what the caller needs right now. They offer personalized support for as long as needed, and then help connect the caller to either immediate emergency support or to long-term treatment/support options for mental health, suicide, or drug use issues and/or problems.

That’s what the line is for and how it works. Now let’s look at the data on the line from its first two years in operation and learn whether the 988 crisis line really helps people.

The 988 Crisis Line: How Many Prevented Suicides?

First, let’s look at the reason we need this line, with data provided by the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2024 NSDUH), the Centers for Disease Control, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Serious Thoughts of Suicide in the Past Year Among U.S. Adults Aged 18+

• Total: 5%, or around 11.7 million
  • Men: 4.5%, or 5.9 million
  • Women: 5.5%, or 5.8 million

When we combine these figures on suicidal ideation – i.e. serious thoughts of suicide – with the rates and trends of suicide over the past decade and a half in the U.S., the need for an integrated, expert, nationwide mental health crisis line is obvious:

Millions of people in the U.S. seriously contemplate suicide each year, and tens of thousands of people die by suicide each year.

Let’s look at the data on 988 published in a report called “Suicide Mortality Among Adolescents and Young Adults After Launch of a Suicide and Crisis Lifeline” and learn whether the 988 crisis line really helps people when they’re in need.

Impact of 988 Crisis Line on Suicide: 2022-2024

• Projected suicides: 39,901
• Observed suicides: 35,529
• Difference: 4,372

That’s an 11 percent decrease in projected compared to observed suicides, correlated with the implementation of the three-digit crisis line over the ten-digit crisis line in place previously.

Now let’s look at the differences between the ten states where researchers observed highest uptake of the 988 crisis line compared to the ten states where researchers observed the lowest uptake of the 988 crisis line.

988 Crisis Line: High Uptake vs. Low Uptake States

• States with the largest increases in 988 calls answered: 146% increase in monthly calls
  • Before 988: 32,635 per month
  • After 988: 80,338 per month
• States with the smallest increases in 988 calls answered: 24% increase in monthly calls
  • Before 988: 39,835 per month
  • After 988: 49,226 per month

Here’s how the authors of the report characterize these figures:

“This analysis found that launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was associated with significant reductions in suicide mortality among adolescents and young adults nationally. Observed reductions were larger in states with the highest uptake of 988 Lifeline services.”

Based on the data and that expert analysis, we can conclude with confidence that the 988 crisis line really helps people, and its implementation appears to be a pivotal component in reducing rates of suicide across all age groups for the first time in decades.

Resources: Finding Support for Suicidality

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, please get help now: do not wait.

When risk is immediate:

• Call 911
• Go to the nearest hospital/emergency room

When risk of harm is serious but not immediate:

• Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
• They’ll connect anyone in need with appropriate support

For Veterans and active duty military:

• Call 988 + 1 for specialized support

For members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the Trevor Project offers LGBTQIA+ specific support:

• Phone (24/7/365): 1-866-488-7386
• Trevor Project Text (24/7/365): Text START to 678678
• The Trevor Project Chat: CLICK HERE