Lifeline Checkup: Evaluating 988 Suicide Support Services
Published Date: 8/1/2025
Notice
Summary
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is collecting new data to check how well the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is working. This helps make sure people in crisis get quick, quality help through phone, chat, or text. With nearly $500 million in funding for 2024, this evaluation supports better services nationwide and keeps the Lifeline strong and ready for everyone who needs it.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Nearly $500M Allocated to Support 988
In FY2024, nearly $500 million was allocated for new funding opportunities to support the 988 Lifeline Administrator and grantees at state, territorial, Tribal, and center levels to strengthen crisis care nationwide.
Crisis Agency Staff Must Provide Data
Organizational staff and crisis agency employees will be asked to participate in multiple studies: examples include 73 administrators (SIS, 0.75 hr each), 1,034 crisis agency managers (CCPS, 1.00 hr each), and 6,000 organizational staff (CCDF, 0.15 hr each). The total annualized burden across all respondents is estimated at 16,724 respondents and 8,006.10 hours.
Evaluation Will Measure Suicide and Overdose Outcomes
SAMHSA will conduct a 5-year evaluation using system-, client-, and impact-level studies and will examine suicide and overdose morbidity and mortality using secondary data (e.g., CDC mortality data, Medicaid claims, HCUP, NSDUH, and SPARS) in a quasi-experimental interrupted time series design.
Parents/Caregivers Surveyed for 988 Study
SAMHSA will survey parents and caregivers as part of the 988 evaluation: 1,560 parent/caregiver respondents are expected, totaling 156 hours annually (0.10 hour per respondent) with an estimated cost of $1,131.00 per year.
Clients Contacting 988 Will Be Followed-Up
The evaluation will contact people who call, text, or chat 988 for follow-up: CES baseline will include 6,000 client respondents (0.75 hour each), plus follow-ups at 3 months (1,500 respondents, 0.65 hr), 6 months (375 respondents, 0.65 hr), and 12 months (94 respondents, 0.65 hr).
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