Familiarity With the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Remains Low at Two-Year Mark

On the second anniversary of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) released new resources highlighting steps for improving mental health crisis response. Over 10 million contacts have been made to 988 since its launch in July 2022, yet awareness and understanding of 988 remain limited.

NAMI's recent poll reveals that while trust in 988 is high, only 23% of Americans are familiar with it. The data underscores the need for increased public education and robust funding for 988 services, supported by 83% of respondents. State-level legislative successes in sustainable funding and crisis care coverage provide a model for federal action to enhance crisis response systems. Read more here.