988 Suicide and crisis lifeline now even more accessible

49,449. That is the number of Americans who lost their lives to suicide in 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a 2.6% increase over the previous year and, unfortunately, a record high number.

Helping to support this mental health crisis, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to counselors who can assist those experiencing emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, substance use, and other mental health issues. Individuals simply need to dial the three-digit telephone number (9-8-8) to connect with a certified mental health professional. Now, those who are hard of hearing or require speech communications assistance can take better advantage of the service.

In September 2023, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) and its partners made a significant step in expanding this critical program by including American Sign Language (ASL) counselors making it more accessible to over 44 million Americans who are hard of hearing or require speech communication assistance to communicate directly with counselors rather than rely only on the chat and text options previously available to them.

Since its launch in July 2022, the 988 Lifeline has received approximately 6.5 million calls, texts and chats, according to the SAMHSA, which funds the 988 Lifeline and is comprised of a network of over 200 state and local call centers supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In addition to HHS and SAMHSA, there are several organizations helping make 988 more accessible, including the Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), V!brant, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Telecommunications Relay Services Numbering Directory for Internet-based TRS (iTRS), DeafLEAD, Convo Relay, Sorenson, Z/P Better Together, National Association for the Deaf.  The iTRS is operated by iconectiv on behalf of the FCC.