by Kara Rowland, MHA Vice President of Communications
Content warning: Suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988, or text MHA to 741741.
It's been two years since the launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides free, confidential access to trained crisis counselors 24/7 for those in distress.
To spread the word about 988 resources, advocates are teaming up this year for the very first 988 Day on Sunday, Sept. 8, with the theme of: "No judgment. Just help." The goal, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the agency that funds the 988 Lifeline, is to emphasize the importance of mental health and suicide prevention.
Data shows that improving 988 awareness is more than a worthy goal–it’s a necessary one. Only 18% of adults reported being familiar with 988 resources, according to a 2023 KFF poll. Awareness is even lower among Black, Hispanic and Asian adults as well as those who don’t speak English very well.
Yet the need for crisis support is as urgent as ever. In 2022, the U.S. recorded one death by suicide every 11 minutes, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. Suicide was the leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 25-34. More than 13 million were estimated to have serious suicidal thoughts.
Since launching in July 2022, 988 crisis counselors have answered more than 10 million calls, texts, and chats. Text continues to surge in popularity, with 1.7 million of those contacts initiated via text–a modality that saw a 51% increase from 2023 to 2024.
While 988 wait times and answer rates have improved over time, challenges of course remain. That’s explained in part by the fact that the Lifeline is actually a nationwide network of more than 200 local crisis centers with varying levels of funding and other resources. (While SAMHSA funds 988 nationally and has supported implementation costs, states themselves are responsible for long-term funding of the crisis centers that power the Lifeline.)
At MHA, we believe that a mental health crisis should receive a healthcare response, not a law enforcement one–which is why we advocated from the very beginning to pass legislation establishing 988 and now we fight for resources federally and in the states to increase the capacity of the 988 program and develop a continuum of crisis services when people need more support. But our policy work is only impactful if people know about the services that are available. For example, the 988 Lifeline includes sub-networks for Spanish speakers, veterans, and the LGBTQ+ community.
In recognition of 988 Day, SAMHSA has created a free digital toolkit with everything from fact sheets and social media assets to event ideas in community settings. The agency is encouraging advocates to use the hashtag #988Day to share activities and promotional efforts. A social event wall will then aggregate them all in one place.
As Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm put it recently: “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. My message to those who are struggling: you are not alone, we hear you, and we are here to help. 988 is an important resource and anyone who needs help should reach out.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988, or text MHA to 741741. You can find additional resources on the MHA website, including warning signs to look for and how to help a loved one who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Note: This article originally appeared on MHA National.
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