New 988 Lifeline is seeing a major uptick in calls — but concerns remain about police intervention, advocates say
CBSN
On July 16, the national suicide lifeline number changed from ten digits to the simpler 988, in hopes of making it easier for people in crisis to get help. Two months later, data shows there's been a significant uptick in calls — but longstanding concerns remain about the potential risk of police intervention in critical situations.
Data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on September 9 showed that 45% more people contacted the new national suicide lifeline in August 2022 than in the same month last year. More than 361,000 calls, texts and chats came through to the service this August — 152,000 more than in 2021.
Despite the sharp rise in individuals seeking help, answer rates and wait times have improved, according to the data. Overall, 88% of calls, chats and texts got through in August, compared to 67% in August 2021. The average response time from a 988 counselor was 42 seconds, compared to 2.5 minutes in August 2021.
