Many helped as suicide hotline celebrates fourth anniversary

On the fourth anniversary of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is celebrating the proven success 988 has had on mental health outcomes.

The fourth anniversary comes on the heels of a new study that found that since the launch of the three-digit crisis line, youth suicide deaths dropped 11% below projections, saving 4,372 lives.

“I wrote the legislation to stand up the 988 crisis line because I knew that if we made getting help a little easier for people when they need it most, it would save so much heartache,” Baldwin said. “Over the past four years, millions upon millions of Americans reached out and got support they needed, and this investment is saving lives.”

Baldwin wrote and passed the legislation to create the three-digit 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and has led the fight to ensure it gets properly funded each year. To support Wisconsin’s implementation of 988, the senator also secured over $3 million in dedicated federal funding.

The demand for 988 continues to rise, with the volume of calls, texts, and chats 15% higher than a year earlier and nearly 50% higher than two years ago.

Since the lifeline launched, it has received over 23 million contacts, including over 15 million calls, 4 million texts, and 3 million chats.