NAMI Leads 40+ National Organizations to Urge Immediate Improvements to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
ARLINGTON, Va., March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) led a group of over 40 national organizations in urging leadership at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take immediate action to improve the routing of 988 calls so that people in a mental health crisis are connected to critical care available in their own local communities.
- Since the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline became available nationwide in 2022, more than 8.6 million people in crisis have been able to connect with support for mental health, substance use and suicide crises, saving countless lives.
- "Today, if someone calls 988, they will connect with a trained crisis counselor who can help them.
- "988 will not reach its full potential unless every help seeker is able to get immediate help and be connected with resources available where they are."
- In 2022, nearly 50,000 Americans died by suicide, and nearly a quarter of high school age children reported having thoughts of suicide.