Just over a year ago, our Chief Clinical Officer, Lori Ryland, published an article about the new national emergency line that was scheduled to begin operation on July 16th, 2022. To learn everything we knew about 988 crisis line then, please navigate to the blog section of our website and read her article:
New National Hotline Launches in July: 988 For Mental Health Emergencies
One year later, we know the creation of this emergency line filled a real need in our society. Many of us have seen what can happen when a person having a mental health emergency calls 911, or a family member calls 911 for support. It’s often a mismatch. Mistakes, misunderstandings, misapplied training, and poorly defined needs combine to create tragic results.
And while the National Suicide Hotline has been operational since 2005, the ten-digit number made it difficult for some people in crisis to make the call. If you’ve never had a serious mental health issue, it may be difficult to understand how dialing seven extra numbers can make a difference, but it does. In a story aired recently on National Public Radio (NPR) a patient in crisis who called 988 reported that it was everything she could do to dial three numbers – and when she reached a person, all she could do was sob.
Thankfully, the trained, compassionate operator stayed on the line with her and, over the course of an hour, talked her through a serious of simple action steps to get her grounded, centered, and help her manage the emergency without harming herself or making a trip to the emergency room.
That’s exactly what 988 is for: helping people manage mental health emergencies by offering the right kind of support from the people with the right kind of training.
988: Basic Facts
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress
- 988 is live 24/7/365
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline operates with funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is managed by Vibrant Emotional Health
- 988 is an organized network of 200 independent local support centers
- The network is designed to connect people in crisis with local crisis centers, based on the location of the caller
That’s what 988 is, and the anecdote above is an example of the purpose it serves. Now let’s take a look at why we created the 988 support line when we did.
Why Did We Need 988?
A confluence of factors led to the creation of this new national helpline.
First, an increase in mental health problems across almost all age and demographic groups over the past twenty years revealed the need for a fast-access line like 911, dedicated to mental health or suicide emergencies, that didn’t unnecessarily involve law enforcement.
We’ll now look at the data that caused experts to raise their voices and say:
“We’re in the midst of a suicide, mental health, and substance use crisis.”
First, we’ll offer the most recent suicide statistics. We’ll preface these by reporting that the rate of suicide in the U.S. has increased close to 30 percent since 1999 and is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15-24.
Suicide in 2021
- 47,646 people in the U.S. died by suicide
- That’s 130 deaths by suicide every day, or almost one suicide every ten minutes
- 12.3 million adults had serious thoughts of suicide
- 3.5 million adults made a suicide plan
- 1.7 million adults attempted suicide
Next, the most recent mental health statistics. Compared to 2018, these figures show significant five-year increases.
Mental Health in 2021: Adults 18+
- Any Mental Illness (AMI):
- 57.8 million – a 21% increase since 2018
- 16.5 million received treatment – a 25% increase since 2018
- Serious Mental Illness:
- 14.1 million – a 25% increase since 2018
- 9.1 million received treatment – a 26% increase since 2018
- Major Depressive Episode (MDE)
- 21.0 million – an 18% increase since 2018
- 12.6 million received treatment – a 10% increase since 2018
- Major Depressive Episode (MDE) with Severe Impairment:
- 14 million – a 24% increase since 2018
- 9.1 million received treatment – a 17% increase since 2018
Like the increases in rates of mental illness and depression, rates of co-occurring mental health disorders and substance use disorders have also increased significantly since 2018.
Co-Occurring Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in 2021: Adults 18+
- AMI and SUD:
- 5 million total – a 114% increase since 2018
- 1 million received treatment for either AMI or SUD – a 114% increase since 2018
- 1 million received treatment for both – a 380% increase since 2018
- SMI and SUD:
- 4 million total – a 106% increase since 2018
- 2 million received treatment for either SMI or SUD – a 100% increase since 2018
- 1 million received treatment for both – a 223% increase since 2018
Finally, here’s the overdose data. Since our primary focus is addiction treatment, these numbers keep us awake at night, and keep us getting out of bed in the morning to support as many people as we can with the latest, evidence-based treatment techniques and innovative approaches.
Opioid Overdose Fatalities (2020, 2021, 2022)
- 2020: 69,061
- 2021: 80,997
- 2022: 82,136
Overdose Fatalities for All Drugs (2020, 2021, 2022)
- 2020: 92,478
- 2021: 107,573
- 2022: 108,500
We began this section with the question, “Why Did We Need 988?”
The data above make it clear. We need 988 because millions of people in the country need help every day – and sometimes they can’t wait.
988 One Year Later: Is it Working?
In a word, yes.
There are still challenges with staffing and infrastructure implementation in some locations, but overall, the new hotline has achieved its primary goal: give first-line emergency support to people in mental health crisis.
Here are some notable facts from the first year of operation:
- The line received over 5 million combined texts, calls, and chats
- That’s a 35% increase over 2021
- Average wait time on the crisis line decreased from 2 minutes and 39 seconds to 41 seconds
- 988 answered 665,000 texts in from July 2022 to July 2023
- That’s a 1,135% increase from July 2021 to July 2022
- Younger people prefer texting, while older people prefer calling or chatting online
- In September 2022, 988 created an option for LGBTQIA+ people to talk with a counselor from the Trevor Project. Since then:
- 6% of callers requested the LGBTQIA+ option
- 15% of texters requested the LGBTQIA+ option
That’s progress. That’s a way we can support a nation in the midst of a mental health and addiction crisis. What needs to happen next, with 988, is for each state to meet federal guidelines for fully funding their emergency lines. When 988 is fully funded, it will accomplish the following goals for anyone, anywhere in the U.S.
Long-Term Goals: The 988 Mission
- Connect a person in crisis with a counselor who will address their immediate needs and connect them to either ongoing care or local resources
- Decrease overall cost of healthcare with timely intervention
- Minimize the use of law enforcement in mental health crises
- Match the escalating mental health needs of the U.S. population by brining 988 to scale quickly
- Reduce stigma around mental illness and mental health treatment
Once 988 is fully funded in all 50 states, the next step is increasing awareness about 988: a recent poll conducted by Pew Charitable Trusts showed that only 13 percent of adults “have heard of 988 and know its purpose.”
That can change – and we can help.
Spread the Word: 988 for Suicide and Mental Health Crisis Support
Awareness about 988 starts with all of us. When we saw the results of the poll from Pew Charitable Trusts and learned that only 13 percent of adults know about 988 and know what it’s for, we were genuinely surprised. Then we remembered we spend all our working days supporting people in mental health crises, and realized that while we know about virtually everything that happens in the world of mental health and addiction treatment, most people don’t.
Here’s how we can all spread awareness about 988:
- If you know someone who might need crisis intervention, tell them about 988
- When the topic of mental health comes up in conversation, tell the people you’re talking to about 988
- When the topic of addiction or overdose comes up in conversation, tell the people you’re talking to about 988
- If people are worried about involving the police, or that their family or work peers might find out about their mental health needs, reassure them the 988 line is 100% private and confidential
- Remind people that 988 is not only for mental health emergencies, but also for emergencies or crises related to substance use
We’ll end by answering a question that may have occurred to you while reading this article:
If Pinnacle Treatment Centers focuses on substance use and addiction, why write an article about mental health emergencies?
Here’s our answer:
A substance use emergency is a mental health emergency.
When we all understand that, we’ll be one step close to reducing stigma, normalizing treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and helping more people start their path toward long-term, sustainable recovery.