New 988 Suicide & Mental Health Crisis Hotline Launches In United States
Last reviewed and updated: September 9, 2026.
If you need help now: Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, free and available 24 hours a day across the United States. Veterans, service members and their families can press 1. You can also chat at 988lifeline.org.
Americans experiencing a mental health crisis have a more straightforward option to reach out to for help, when the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched in July 2022. The announcement comes from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which officially designated the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on July 16.
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| How to reach it | Call or text 988, or chat online. Free, confidential, 24/7 |
| Who answers | A trained crisis counselor at one of a national network of local crisis centers |
| Veterans | Press 1 after dialing, or text the Veterans Crisis Line at 838255 |
| The old number | 1-800-273-8255 still works and routes to the same network |
| What changed in 2025 | The Press 3 service for LGBTQ+ youth was discontinued in July 2025 |
This new, shorter phone number is more manageable for people to remember, and provides immediate access to mental health crisis services.
RELATED: What Is Ketamine Used For: From Mental Health Issues To Chronic Pain
How Does The 988 Suicide Hotline Work?
Previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the new 988 hotline provides a national network of more than 200 crisis centers supported by local and state sources. It also includes the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Callers can also text 988 to receive help.
“If you are willing to turn to someone in your moment of crisis, 988 will be there,” said Xavier Becerra, the Federal Department of Health and Human Services secretary. “988 won’t be a busy signal, and 988 won’t put you on hold. You will get help.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s 10-digit number , 1-800-273-8255 , will remain active, but calls will now route to 988.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline aims to provide immediate crisis intervention and support. When calling 988, a trained crisis counselor will answer, listen to the caller, understand their issue, provide support, and share resources. All 988 Crisis counselors are trained to help in a variety of crises. No callers will be required to disclose any personal information.
The new 988 suicide and crisis hotline also offers assistance specifically for Veterans. Pressing “1” after dialing 988 will connect callers directly to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline. This hotline serves our nation’s Veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and those who support them. For texts, Veterans should continue to use the Veterans Crisis Lifeline shortcode: 838255.
RELATED: Ketamine Therapy For PTSD: A Solution For Veterans?
The Mental Illness Crisis
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “one in four fatal police shootings between 2015 and 2020 involved a person with a mental illness,” and “an estimated 44 percent of people incarcerated in jail, and 37 percent of people incarcerated in prison, have a mental health condition.”
People with mental illness are booked into the nation’s jails around two million times yearly, and millions end up waiting in emergency rooms for hours in need of care. Many of these facilities are ill-equipped to address mental health crises.
Suicide is a leading cause of death for people aged 10-34. In 2020 alone, the U.S. had one death by suicide roughly every 11 minutes. In May 2020, the Senate unanimously passed S. 2661, providing funding for the 988 infrastructure and crisis response services. This bill required the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to designate 988 as the universal telephone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.
The bill also adds that, “a state may impose and collect a fee for providing 988 related services. However, this fee must be held in a designated account to be spent only in support of 988 services. The FCC must submit an annual report on state administration of these fees.” These fees will fund the services and circumvent issues the former National Suicide Prevention Hotline faced.
“Ever since its launch in 2005, the existing 10-digit lifeline has seen increasing use. But until recently, local call centers received very little federal funding.
‘They’ve been operating on a shoestring for many, many years,’ says John Draper, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline executive director. ‘Many centers have closed because of lack of resources in recent years.’
According to the HHS, in 2021 the lifeline received 3.6 million calls, chats, and texts. But a 2021 report by SAMHSA found that the current system is able to respond to only 85 percent of calls, 56 percent of texts and 30 percent of chats.”
via NPR
Moving Forward
Health officials project that the number of calls, chats, and texts will at least double in the first full year after 988 goes live. According to early data, calls have already increased by 45 percent.
“This is the beginning of a story,” explains Chuck Ingoglia, CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, to NPR. “It’s going to continue to require investment at the federal level, at the state level, at the local level, to really make sure that this reaches its potential.”
RELATED: Ketamine For Depression: A Starting Guide
See also: , related HealingMaps coverage.
See also: , related HealingMaps coverage.
Where 988 Stands in 2026
Four years after launch, 988 is established rather than new, and two developments are worth knowing if you are pointing someone toward it.
The first is encouraging. Research published since the rollout has linked the launch of 988 to a measurable decline in youth suicide deaths, on the order of 11 percent. That is population-level data rather than proof of individual outcomes, but it is the kind of signal the line was built to produce.
The second is a reduction in service. The specialized subnetwork for LGBTQ+ youth, reached by pressing 3, was discontinued on July 17, 2025. Before it closed it was handling roughly 50,000 to 60,000 contacts a month, about a tenth of all 988 traffic. Federal officials have said they intend to restore an equivalent option by the end of 2026, though that has not happened yet.
The main line is unaffected. Anyone can still call, text, or chat 988 and reach a trained counselor. Some crisis centers have added inclusive training in the absence of the dedicated subnetwork, though coverage varies by center.
What Happens When You Call
A trained counselor answers, listens, and works through what you are facing. You are not required to give personal information, and most conversations end without any emergency services involvement. Counselors are trained across a range of crises, not only suicide, which includes substance use, anxiety attacks, and situations where someone is worried about another person.
If you are calling about someone else, that is a supported use of the line. Counselors can help you think through how to approach the conversation and what local resources exist.
