The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 access to trained counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. And there is a tremendous need, given:
In 2020, the U.S. had one death by suicide every 11 minutes.
For people ages 10–34, suicide is a leading cause of death
From April 2020 through April 2021, over 100,000 people died from drug overdoses.
Behind each of these data points, there are people, families, and communities who have been impacted. Yet, in the face of these urgent realities, there is hope. The 988 Lifeline helps thousands of struggling people overcome suicidal crises or mental-health-related distress every day.
People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.
While this is an exciting time to reimagine how we provide crisis services in the U.S., the full vision of a transformed crisis care system with 988 at its core will not be built overnight. Transformation of this scale will take time, and we must all work together to make it happen.
For more information, please visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988.