Suicide and Crisis Lifeline adds Spanish text and chat service

Published on July 20, 2023

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline adds Spanish text and chat service ahead of one-year anniversary. The 988 Lifeline answered nearly five million contacts in the past year – two million more than the previous 12 months – following a $1 billion Biden-Harris Administration investment. Specialized services for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults were expanded following a successful pilot test.

One year after the rollout of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its 988 Lifeline partners announced the addition of Spanish text and chat services. Specialized services for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults were also added earlier this month, following a successful pilot test. The 988 Lifeline is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive strategy to address the nation’s mental health crisis, and to date, the Administration has invested nearly $1 billion into this life-saving initiative.

This investment is driving an increase in calls, texts and chats, with nearly 5 million contacts answered in the past year — and helped millions of people in crisis.