What it means for you
A 2020 law made 988 the national three-digit number for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and it went live in July 2022. It handled 23.3 million calls, texts and chats through March 2026.
Who benefits: Anyone in the U.S. facing a suicidal, mental health or substance use crisis.
Before 988, the national suicide prevention line was reached through a toll-free number, 1-800-273-8255. A 2020 law made 988, a simple three-digit code, the nationwide number. The Federal Communications Commission required phone companies to connect it by July 16, 2022, and the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has answered on 988 ever since.
You can call, text or chat with 988 if you’re thinking about suicide or are in a mental health or substance use crisis. The law also lets states and tribes add a fee to phone bills to pay for local crisis services, as long as the money goes only to 988 services. By March 2026, the line had taken 23.3 million contacts: 15.8 million calls, 4.2 million texts and 3.4 million chats.
The push took three years. Republican Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah and Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah began the federal effort in 2017. Stewart’s 2018 law ordered the FCC to study a three-digit number, and Hatch sponsored the Senate companion. Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado sponsored the 2020 law with original cosponsors Democratic Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Jack Reed and Republican Sen. Jerry Moran. Stewart and Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton led the House version. It passed both chambers by voice vote, and President Donald Trump signed it on October 17, 2020.
In July 2025, the federal agency that runs the line ended a specialized option for LGBTQ+ youth. Congress funded it again in early 2026, and it returned that September.
Health careSafety
Where it stands, and how we know
Source for this status, checked November 11, 2026.
Sources
- Public Law 116-172, National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020GovInfo
- Bill status, S. 2661 (116th Congress)GovInfo
- Implementation of the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2018 (FCC rule)Federal Register, September 16, 2020
- 988 Enters Its Fourth Year as Demand GrowsKFF, July 14, 2026
- The Trevor Project applauds the return of the 988 Lifeline's Press 3 services for LGBTQ+ youthThe Trevor Project, October 1, 2026
- Rep. Chris Stewart's national suicide hotline bill heads to the president's deskKUTV
- 988 Frequently Asked QuestionsSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
How we checked this
Drafted by Claude Opus 5.5 (Anthropic) on November 11, 2026. Checked against its sources by GPT-5.6-sol (OpenAI) on November 11, 2026, which corrected it. Confirmed the law, rollout date, usage figures, voice votes, and current operation. Corrected the legislative attribution, refreshed the status date, and replaced an inaccessible source.
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