Year Two of the 988 Lifeline

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Year Two of the 988 Lifeline

The launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline) in July 2022 represented a shift in how the U.S. addresses behavioral health crises. By simplifying access to support - replacing the longer National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number with the easy-to-remember 988 - the goal was to provide an immediate, accessible resource for anyone in distress.

This edition of A Kansas Twist explores the Lifeline's second year, examining data from the Kansas 988 network and highlighting national and local efforts to expand its impact.

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National Developments

Expansion of Services

In year two, the 988 Lifeline expanded its reach, particularly through text and chat services. The number of text interactions increased by 51 percent nationwide, underscoring a growing preference for these communication methods. Additionally, services in Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) became more available, ensuring broader access to critical support. These expansions align with ongoing federal efforts to improve access to mental health care, with over $200 million in federal grants allocated in 2024 to enhance the Lifeline's infrastructure.

Since its launch, the 988 Lifeline has received 10.8 million calls, texts and chats. In May 2024, monthly contacts exceeded half a million, up about one-third from the previous year and 80 percent from May 2022. Despite increased demand, national answer rates improved and wait times decreased. Overall, answer rates rose from 70 percent pre-launch in May 2022 to 89 percent two years later, although some performance metrics slightly declined in year two due to rising contact volumes.

Kansas Developments

The 988 Lifeline in Kansas experienced growth in both call volume and infrastructure from August 2023 to July 2024. During this period, Kansas call centers handled 25,432 calls, averaging 2,119 calls per month. Text and chat services also saw an almost 45-percent increase from the previous year, with 13,229 texts and chats routed, averaging 1,102 texts or chats per month.

Earlier this year, Wyandot Behavioral Health Network joined the state's existing 988 answering centers. Kansas now has five centers handling calls: HeadQuarters in Lawrence, the Johnson County Crisis Line, COMCARE of Sedgwick County, Wyandot Center in Kansas City, and HealthSource Integrated Solutions in Topeka, which provides backup support.

Despite the expansion, Kansas has encountered challenges, notably a slight drop in the percentage of calls answered in-state. Between August 2023 and July 2024, Kansas answered 88.5 percent of its 988 calls on average, falling just short of the national and state goal of 90 percent and last year's average of 90.3 percent. The in-state answer rate fluctuated between 85 percent and 91 percent throughout the year.

The data show a consistent increase in call volume, with August 2024 seeing 3,136 routed calls compared to 1,867 in August 2023, representing a 68-percent increase. This growth in demand presents both a challenge and an opportunity for Kansas to enhance its 988 services.

Other notable data points include:

1. The rate of calls that were not answered by a primary 988 center reached as high as 4.5 percent in some months.
2. Chat and text services showed different answer patterns from call services, with in-state rates around 45 percent for chats and 51 percent for texts in July 2024.
3. Data indicate higher call volumes during the summer months.

Looking Ahead: National Initiatives

Nationally, the 988 Lifeline will continue to focus on improving accessibility, with planned enhancements to text, chat and video services. The Biden-Harris Administration has invested nearly $1.5 billion in the 988 Lifeline as part of a comprehensive strategy to address mental health and substance use crises with more than $200 million in additional grants awarded in fiscal year 2024. This funding supports workforce expansion, which remains a top priority. The investment has gone toward hiring crisis counselors and improving local response capabilities across states, territories and tribes. Additional planned improvements include the implementation of "georouting technology," which had its initial launch with Verizon and T-Mobile in mid-September. This will help improve cell phone users' connectivity to local services by routing 988 callers based on their approximate physical location rather than area code.

In Kansas, the focus will be on addressing the challenges identified in year two while continuing to build on the progress made. This may include expanding partnerships, particularly in rural areas, continuing public campaigns to increase awareness of the Lifeline, and exploring opportunities to increase the chat and text capabilities of 988 centers around the state.

Conclusion

Year two of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline marked growth and progress in Kansas and across the country. The growth in call, chat and text volumes, coupled with the expansion of specialized services, highlights the increasing reliance on 988 as a resource for mental health support. As the Lifeline enters year three, continued attention to workforce development, public outreach and service accessibility will be key to ensuring it can meet the needs of all Kansans in crisis. With the right support and ongoing improvements, the 988 Lifeline has the potential to make a lasting impact on mental health and crisis intervention.

If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Check out our new infographic, Two Years Later: Expanding the Lifeline in Kansas.