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988 Lifeline Chat and Text

988 Lifeline Chat and Text connects you with caring crisis counselors for emotional support.

To chat with a crisis counselor online 24/7/365, please fill out the form below.

To text with a crisis counselor, send a text to 988 on your phone.

For Veterans and Service Members: Chat with the Veterans Crisis Line

Haga clic aquí para acceder al chat en español.

For Deaf/Hard of hearing: ASL now

Apoyo Para Su Bienestar Emocional Durante El Brote De COVID-19

By the Numbers

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people, and, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, was the tenth-leading cause of death in the nation (CDC, 2019). Every year in the U.S., more people die by suicide than in car accidents, and more suicide deaths occur than homicide and AIDS deaths combined.

Coping During Community Unrest

Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Hearing Loss

Our network of crisis centers offers many services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, including veterans.

Emotional Well-being During COVID-19

Lifeline State Reports

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of over 200 local crisis centers, allowing the Lifeline to provide local resources with innovative best practices and quality care across nearly every state. Included below are reports that offer information about the crisis centers within each state.

Maternal Mental Health

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Glossary

Information about mental health and suicide prevention can sometimes include language you might not be familiar with. These terms are used commonly when talking about suicide prevention.

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE CITATIONS

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Citations

The 988 Lifeline is reaching many Americans in crisis. Since 2005, the 988 Lifeline has answered (over/nearly) 10.43 million calls, with approximately 1 out of four reporting a suicide-related problem. (see 988 Lifeline Data Reports/Survey Results for citation)

With the VA, Lifeline serves millions of Veterans and Service members.  Since signing an agreement with the VA in 2007, SAMHSA’s Lifeline connects veterans/service members to the Veterans Crisis Line. The VCL has served over 2.8m callers since 2007  Lifeline surveys of its network estimate that local centers are also serving approximately 300,000 veterans annually in their communities. (see 988 Lifeline Data Reports/Survey Results for citation)

One national number promotes easy access to help. One number allows national media, Google, Facebook, Siri, and other common referral agents to connect people in crisis to help at any time, anywhere in the country. 75% of 988 Lifeline callers learn of the 988 Lifeline from online resources. (see 988 Lifeline Data Reports/Survey Results for citation)

The 988 Lifeline works. Continuing independent evaluations of 988 Lifeline crisis centers demonstrate that they are effective in reducing emotional distress and suicidality in callers. SAMHSA-funded evaluations also show that Lifeline follow-up calls with high-risk callers are preventing suicide. (M.S. Gould, Kalafat, Munfakh, & Kleinman, 2007; M. S. Gould et al., 2017; Madelyn S. Gould et al., 2016; Kalafat, Gould, Munfakh, & Kleinman, 2007)

The 988 Lifeline is establishing best practices for the field. Through research and expert consensus, the 988 Lifeline has established and disseminated national standards for suicide risk assessment and intervention for crisis centers across the country (Draper, Murphy, Vega, Covington, & McKeon, 2014; Joiner et al., 2007). Recent research by RAND has found that 988 Lifeline crisis centers are better at assessing risk and reducing distress in callers than non-988 Lifeline centers (Ramchand et al., 2017).

The 988 Lifeline reduces health and safety resource burdens. The 988 Lifeline centers are diverting callers from unnecessary use of law enforcement, emergency, and hospital inpatient resources. SAMHSA-funded analysis of Lifeline follow-up models approximates a two-fold return on investment in Medicaid dollars (Richardson, Mark, & McKeon, 2014).

Some states are under-resourced to answer 988 Lifeline calls.  While overall network answer rates are strong, some states lack centers or resources to answer calls locally, leaving national backup centers to answer approximately 30% of all calls. This may lead to longer wait times and fewer linkages to the best local crisis, emergency, or clinic care in these areas of the country. (see 988 Lifeline Data Reports/Survey Results for citation)

PUBLICATIONS REFERENCES

Draper, J., Murphy, G., Vega, E., Covington, D. W., & McKeon, R. (2014). Helping Callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Who Are at Imminent Risk of Suicide: The Importance of Active Engagement, Active Rescue, and Collaboration Between Crisis and Emergency Services. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 45, 261-270. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12128

Gould, M. S., Kalafat, J., Munfakh, J. L. H., & Kleinman, M. (2007). An evaluation of crisis hotline outcomes. Part 2: Suicidal callers. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 37, 338-352.

Gould, M. S., Lake, A. M., Galfalvy, H., Kleinman, M., Munfakh, J. L., Wright, J., & McKeon, R. (2017). Follow-up with Callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Evaluation of Callers’ Perceptions of Care. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12339

Gould, M. S., Lake, A. M., Munfakh, J. L., Galfalvy, H., Kleinman, M., Williams, C., . . . McKeon, R. (2016). Helping Callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Who Are at Imminent Risk of Suicide: Evaluation of Caller Risk Profiles and Interventions Implemented. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 46(2), 172-190. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12182

Joiner, T., Kalafat, J., Draper, J., Stokes, H., Knudson, M., Berman, A., & McKeon, R. (2007). Establishing standards for the assessment of suicide risk among callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 37, 353-365.

Kalafat, J., Gould, M. S., Munfakh, J. L. H., & Kleinman, M. (2007). An evaluation of crisis hotline outcomes. Part 1: Nonsuicidal crisis callers. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 37, 322-337.

Ramchand, R., Jaycox, L., Ebener, P., Gilbert, M. L., Barnes-Proby, D., & Goutam, P. (2017). Characteristics and Proximal Outcomes of Calls Made to Suicide Crisis Hotlines in California. Crisis, 38(1), 26-35. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000401

Richardson, J. S., Mark, T. L., & McKeon, R. (2014). The return on investment of post-discharge follow-up calls for suicidal ideation or deliberate self-harm. Psychiatric Services, 65, 1012-1019. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201300196

LIFELINE DATA REPORTS/SURVEY RESULTS

Call Volume Data/History. Lifeline database, Tableau Reports, processed 5/31/2017

VCL call volume. Text from About the Veterans Crisis Line, Veterans Crisis Line web site, 5/31/2017 https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/About/AboutVeteransCrisisLine.aspx

Lifeline centers serving veterans. Professional email communication from Kelly Clarke to John Draper, November 29, 2016, Veterans Amendment, Lifeline Network Veterans Amendment Survey Results (attachment), and summary of results.

Lifeline sources for referral (web-based). Powerpoint presentation to Lifeline Steering Committee, June 16, 2016, “Steering Committee Orientation and Capacity Challenges.” Slide entitled: “How Did you Hear About Lifeline?”, data from Boystown National Backup, Jan-April 2015.

Percentage of Lifeline calls leaving states, answered by National Back-ups. Lifeline database, Tableau Reports, processed 5/31/2017.

Our Network

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) is a national network of over 200 local crisis centers, allowing the Lifeline to provide local resources with innovative best practices and quality care across the United States.

Research and Evaluation

Since 2001, the 988 Lifeline has been evaluating and strengthening crisis centers’ efforts through an iterative process. In recent years, the 988 Lifeline has also partnered with external researchers on analyses of extant data. The 988’s high service utilization and abundance of analyzable data provides opportunities for researchers to further evaluate the impact of the 988 Lifeline, as well examine other research questions initiated by investigators. 

The 988 Lifeline is often approached by researchers to collaborate on new research and evaluation projects.The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline welcomes opportunities to collaborate on research projects with the goal of preventing suicides and mental health crises, and providing a pathway to well-being. In order to preserve our values, which include the ultimate benefit of crisis contacts/crisis centers and avoidance of any potential harm to them; the preservation of network operations; and a commitment to including a diverse range of voices and experiences in our work, we take very seriously requests for 988 Lifeline data and requests to collaborate on research projects. 

The 988 Lifeline is able to collaborate with external researchers in the following ways: through public Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) or Requests for Proposals (RFP), wherein the 988 Lifeline and its administrator Vibrant Emotional Health request proposals for a specific project, usually with funding attached; through public data sharing here on the 988 Lifeline website;  and through the 988 Lifeline Restricted Access Dataset (988 RAD). More information can be found here.

Research and Evaluation Process and Proposals

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Data Access & Requests to Collaborate on Research (L-DAC)

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline welcomes opportunities to collaborate on research projects with the goal of preventing suicides and mental health crises, and providing a pathway to well-being. In order to preserve our values, which include the ultimate benefit of crisis contacts/crisis centers and avoidance of any potential harm to them; the preservation of network operations; and a commitment to including a diverse range of voices and experiences in our work, we take very seriously requests for 988 Lifeline data and requests to collaborate on research projects.  

Research includes any form of systematic investigation (e.g., research development, studies/testing, evaluation) that is designed to contribute to generalizable knowledge. 

The Lifeline and 988

988 Lifeline Committees

Learn more about our 988 Lifeline Committees

988 Planning Grants

A funding opportunity by Vibrant Emotional Health and the Lifeline to plan for the implementation of 988

About

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is comprised of a national network of over 200 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices.

Best Practices

The Lifeline provides mental health professionals and crisis centers in the Lifeline network with innovative best practices and resources in the field of suicide prevention and mental health.

Black Mental Health

Your mental health is a priority. Wellness among Black communities is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Below, you will find tips and resources to support yourself, a loved one, and other members of the Black community.

If you are in need of support, you can call, text, or chat with 988. We are available 24/7. 988 works to ensure that all people have access to the support and resources reflective of their own needs. We are always here for you.

Protected: Call Volume of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of over 170 local crisis centers, all of which support calls to the 800-273-8255 phone number. Here, we will help you understand more about the volume of calls received by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline using this interactive data visualization tool.

Careers

988 centers are looking for empathetic volunteers, employees, and interns to serve as crisis counselors answering phones, chats, and texts, as well as managers with advanced degrees. 

Help Yourself

LGBTQI+

Protected: Lifeline/988 Support Resources for States and U.S. Territories

State and U.S. Territory Mental Health or Public Health Agencies are key stakeholders in 988 implementation. This website provides a central location for states and territories to access current technical assistance and 988 Lifeline tools, as well as many of the archived materials shared during Vibrant’s previous 988 State Planning Grants.

In Spring 2021, through the utilization of private donation funding, Vibrant Emotional Health awarded fifty 988 State Territory Planning Grants. As a final outcome of those grants, awardees submitted their 988 Implementation Plans to Vibrant in late January 2022. These detailed plans provide robust roadmaps for states and territories to guide their 988 implementation activities through mid-2023 and, on some topics, beyond that timeframe.

In addition, in late Spring 2022, SAMHSA awarded numerous 2-year Cooperative Agreements directly to states and territories to “Build Local 988 Capacity”. On certain planning points, such as answer rates and average answer speed, the SAMHSA cooperative agreements required states to exceed performance targets that states and territories may have set for themselves in the non-binding 988 plans previously submitted to Vibrant.

As the 988 Lifeline Administrator, Vibrant Emotional Health provides support and technical assistance not only to independently-operated, Lifeline network-member crisis contact centers that do the ground-level work but also to the state and territory agencies that play a critical role in 988.

Native American, Indian, Indigenous, & Alaska Natives

Your mental health and wellness is a priority. Native American,  Indian, Indigenous, and Alaska Native communities are placed at a higher risk due to historical trauma, and compounding discrimination and oppression, in conjunction with a lack of investment into supportive resources. Below, you will find tips and resources to support yourself, a loved one, and other members of Native American, Indian, Indigenous, and Alaska Native communities.

If you are in need of support, you can call, text, or chat with 988. We are available 24/7. 988 works to ensure that all people have access to the support and resources reflective of their own needs. We are always here for you.

Our Crisis Centers

Learn more about our network of crisis contact centers and what you can do to support them.

Storytelling for Suicide Prevention Checklist

Healing, hope, and help are happening every day. For every one person who dies by suicide, 316 people seriously consider suicide but do not kill themselves. These stories of hope and recovery have the power to help others and dispel stigma and myths about suicide. By sharing a wide variety of mental health experiences and the myriad ways in which we cope with crisis, we can help others find hope and meaning, and recognize ourselves in each other’s stories.

The decision to share one’s lived experience with suicide may feel scary – especially the first time you share it. While the decision to share should not be taken lightly, your experiences do not need to fit into a perfect set of steps or pathway in order to be meaningful. If you are considering sharing your story, we recommend that you use this storytelling checklist to help determine how to share your story safely and effectively – for yourself and others.

This checklist incorporates recommendations from Vibrant Emotional Health (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Suicide Awareness Voices in Education, and the Activating Hope website.

Support on Social Media

For over 10 years, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has worked with social media platforms and digital communities to establish recommended best practices in suicide prevention for social and digital media.

Support the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Together, we can raise awareness of suicide prevention and save lives.

Talk To Someone Now

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the 988 Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.