--- title: What’s up with 988? - The Hustle description: 988 is a new, easy-to-remember way to reach mental health help, though some advocates have concerns. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1818296128-HS-News-Brief_2022-07-20T235419.922Z.webp --- # What’s up with 988? ![Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) [Juliet Bennett Rylah Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/JBRylah) Published: July 21, 2022 Updated: October 11, 2023 Following the pandemic, anxiety and depression increased by [25%](https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide) globally. ![What’s up with 988?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1818296128-HS-News-Brief_2022-07-20T235419.922Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=1818296128-HS-News-Brief_2022-07-20T235419.922Z.webp) In the US, that’s combined with a huge gap in care: Over [50%](https://www.mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, even as suicidal ideation and substance abuse are on the rise. Enter [988](https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/988-fact-sheet.pdf). Designed to be easy to remember, like 911, it now connects to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) and its network of trained professionals at 200+ crisis centers nationwide. #### **But some advocates worry it isn’t enough** Though the Biden admin dedicated $432m toward building 988’s capacity, only [13 states](https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/mental-health/3514409-most-states-appear-unprepared-for-national-suicide-hotline-988-to-take-effect/) have dedicated funding to it, while a survey of public health officials found only 16% have a budget plan, [per](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/15/1111316589/988-suicide-hotline-number) NPR. Meanwhile, call volume is expected to triple in the first year. Kaiser Family Foundation researcher Heather Saunders [told](https://www.marketplace.org/2022/07/15/as-the-988-mental-health-crisis-line-goes-live-advocates-worry-it-may-not-be-ready/) *Marketplace *that, while it’s a good thing that more people may seek help, current infrastructure may not be adequate. Others have cited [concerns](https://slate.com/technology/2022/04/crisis-lifelines-surveillance-geolocation-algorithms.html) over privacy, involuntary hospitalization, and potential interactions with police. #### **And the truth is a bit complicated** Benjamin Miller, president of Well Being Trust, [told](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/15/1111316589/988-suicide-hotline-number)* NPR* that 2m+ people with mental illness were booked in jail in 2021, while a quarter of fatal police shootings have involved people with mental illnesses. - 988 is meant as an alternative to 911, and says it doesn’t trace callers’ locations, but will provide emergency services with someone’s phone number or IP address if it’s determined that they are suicidal or homicidal. The hotline [says](https://www.distractify.com/p/does-988-call-the-cops) less than 2% of calls result in emergency services and, of those, over half occur with the caller’s consent. #### **But some callers…** … say police showed up even when they didn’t say they were suicidal. - One man [told](https://www.madinamerica.com/2020/11/suicide-hotlines-trace-your-call/) *Mad in America* he was hauled off in front of co-workers. - A woman said she got a huge hospital bill after being held in a facility. Unsurprisingly, stuff like this [doesn’t help](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/sltb.12560) people who are struggling. So, while it may be unlikely — and while more resources is generally a good thing — people should know it *is* possible. **For more:** Check out suicide researcher E Krebs’ in-depth Twitter [thread](https://twitter.com/SaltySicky/status/1548782365941477376) about crisis lines. 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