What Does 988 Offer?
988 provides compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing mental health related distress, including suicidal thoughts, a mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.
People can call 988 if they are worried about a person who may need crisis support. This is important for employers who may need to offer crisis support to an employee in need.
Fast Facts
- 86% of adults believe that when someone is in a mental health or suicide crisis, they should receive a mental health response—not a police response.1
- $5.6 billion is the total cost of the 10.7 million visits to the ER in 2017 attributed to mental health and substance use disorders.2
- 88% agree that society would be improved if everyone who needed mental health care was able to access it.3
Additional Resources
The crisis lines below are also available 24/7 for those in need:
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-4357
Learn more with the following resources from other mental health organizations:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), "988 FAQs"
- workplacementalhealth.org, "Suicide Prevention at Work"
- NAMI #ReImagineCrisis, "988 Lifeline"
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, "Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Response"
- Vibrant Emotional Health, "988"
References
- National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) ReimagineCrisis.org
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
- NAMI ReImagineCrisis.org