Calls increased by 45 percent after suicide hotline number switch

Calls to the national suicide hotline increased by 45 percent during the week after it switched to 988 from a longer number.

The hotline received approximately 30,000 more calls, texts and chats the week it transitioned to 988 than it had the week before, the line’s Director of Marketing and Communications Hannah Collins told The Hill.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline moved to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline last Saturday.

From July 14 through Wednesday, called “transition week” by the 988 Lifeline, the hotline received over 96,000 communications, including calls and texts.

That number surged from the 66,000 the line had received the week before.

The 96,000 figure is also a 66 percent increase from the same week in July last year.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline attributed the increase in calls and other communications to the shorter, more memorable number for the hotline.

“We are grateful that transitioning to 988 brought awareness of this resource and more people sought support through the 988 Lifeline and help was available,” said Collins.

Collins said that the hotline will continue working with the Department of Health and Human Services and its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration “to ensure the 988 Lifeline provides the best live-saving support possible.”