National Council on Mental Health Wellbeing 988’s One-Year Anniversary

One Year into 988, Sustained Investment Needed to Expand Workforce

The National Council is proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which became available on July 16, 2022. Since then, millions more Americans than years prior have contacted the Lifeline to receive timely and lifesaving care. Yet a lot of work remains to ensure our crisis care system provides people in every community with someone to call, someone who can respond and somewhere to go.

Read our full statement on 988’s anniversary, including recommendations for expanding the mental health and substance use workforce and further establishing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in federal law in order to expand access to comprehensive crisis services nationwide. Check out our social media channels to share our 988-related content and learn more about the goals of 988 and how it compares to 911.

CCBHCs and the Crisis Care Continuum

The ideal crisis response system provides communities with a range of services that address increasing intensity of needs and connect individuals to care beyond the moment of crisis. CCBHCs’ required services span this continuum, making them an essential component of a crisis response system. They operate call lines and provide 24/7 access to robust in-person and mobile crisis services to anyone, no matter their financial situation. Plus, the CCBHC funding structure allows them to hire and retain more staff. Hear how Integral Care, a CCBHC and 988 partner, is setting the standard for crisis care in Austin, Texas.

Webinar Spotlight: 988 Milestones and Next Steps

The launch of 988 marked a key moment in the history of mental health and substance use awareness and support in America. What’s next? Find out by attending 988 Year One: Milestones and Next Steps – part of our Crisis Response Services Learning Series sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – on Monday, July 17 (2:30-4 p.m. ET).