Three years after its launch, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has handled over 16 million contacts, yet new research shows significant regional and personal differences in who uses this potentially life-saving service. The 988 hotline, launched in July 2022, was designed to be an easy-to-remember number—like 911, but for mental health emergencies. Despite receiving millions of calls, texts, and chats, recent studies reveal that usage remains lower than expected compared to emergency room visits for mental health crises. “We were surprised to see that the rate of emergency room use for mental health crises was about twice the rate … Continue reading 988 Crisis Line: 16M Contacts But Only 1.6% of Americans Use It—Regional and Political Gaps Revealed