In its first year, the 988 three-digit dial code has grown and evolved to give hope to millions of people in need by connecting them with trained crisis counselors. The transition to 988 from a full ten-digit number was an immense step forward and offered an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen and transform crisis care in our country.
In the year since rolling out the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the line has answered nearly 5 million contacts — nearly 2 million more than the previous 12 months following the $1 billion investment by the Biden-Harris Administration. SAMHSA has created a fact sheet and issue brief to illustrate the impact 988 has had in its first year.
