988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Summary

The resources and information on this page are designed to help states, territories, tribes, mental health and substance use disorder professionals, and others looking for information on understanding the background, history, funding opportunities, and implementation resources for strengthening suicide prevention and mental health crisis services.

988 & Crisis Systems Response

In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to be operated through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. SAMHSA sees 988 as a first step towards a transformed crisis care system in America.

• Crisis Systems Response Training and Technical Assistance
• FY21 Appropriations Report to Congress (PDF | 879 KB)
• FCC 2022 Forum on Geolocation

988 Partner Toolkit

The 988 Partner Toolkit is intended to facilitate partner efforts for collaborative and aligned 988 communication planning.

• Key Messages
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Logo and Branding
• Social Media Shareables
• End Cards for Media
• More Resources

The Data

In 2020, the U.S. had one death by suicide every 11 minutes. Suicide is a leading cause of death for people aged 10-34 years.

• 988 Lifeline Network Performance Metrics
• SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
• CDC’s Suicide and Self-Harm Injury Data for the U.S. | National Center for Health Statistics

The Lifeline

There is hope. Providing 24/7, free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress works. The Lifeline helps thousands of people overcome crisis situations every day.

• The Lifeline’s History
• 988 Lifeline Jobs

Suicide Prevention Resources

• The U.S. Surgeon General’s Protecting Youth Mental Health Advisory (PDF | 1 MB)
• SAMHSA’s Suicide Prevention Publications
• Substance Use Treatment Locator
• Advisory: Addressing Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Substance Use Treatment (Jan. 2021)