Mental Health Awareness Month: 988 is Here to Help

Some numbers are easy to remember for a reason. Like dialing 911, dialing 988 is designed to be accessible during life's most difficult moments, when someone is in the midst of a crisis. Since the FCC launched 988 as the nationwide three-digit code for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in 2022, the 988 Lifeline has received nearly 25 million contacts by call, text, and chat from individuals reaching out for help.

With greater awareness of 988, the Lifeline has seen a significant increase in the number of contacts it handles each year. In 2022, the 988 Lifeline routed close to 4 million contacts. Just three years later, in 2025, that number had doubled to nearly 8 million contacts, representing millions of people getting the help they need.

And in turn, these increased contacts have saved more lives. Last month, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a research letter finding that the launch of 988 corresponded with "significant reductions in suicide mortality among adolescents and young adults"-a group that's disproportionately likely to contact the Lifeline. From the introduction of 988 in July 2022 through December 2024, the U.S. experienced 11% fewer suicides among young people when compared with projections. It also showed that states where 988 usage grew the most saw the largest drop in suicide rates.

Behind these statistics are thousands of young Americans, in communities all across the country, whose lives were saved because of our nation's investment in 988. At the FCC, we're incredibly proud to work alongside our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to support the lifesaving work being done every day at 988 crisis contact centers.

From our initial proposals to establish an easy-to-remember three digit code for the Lifeline, to our most recent efforts to route 988 calls and text messages so that people can be connected with their local crisis center, the Commission has worked tirelessly to increase access to mental health care, while protecting the privacy of 988 callers and texters.

Combating the national mental health crisis remains a serious and ongoing effort-one that requires a sustained commitment to improving access to suicide and crisis care services. This May, we celebrate how far we have come, while looking forward to all that we can accomplish in the future.

If you, or anyone you know is suffering from a mental health crisis, please remember 988.