Get Help
If you or someone you know has experienced thoughts of suicide, made a suicide attempt, or lost someone to suicide, we’re here to offer compassionate support and guidance. Our dedicated team provides a safe space for healing, offering immediate assistance and ongoing care throughout your journey. Whether through our confidential phone, text, or chat services, we’re committed to helping you navigate your crisis with empathy and understanding. You’re not alone – reach out to us anytime and let us walk alongside you towards healing.
Call or text us at 988 or
at 988lifeline.org/chat/
FAQs
Q
Will you call the police?
A
We recommend our crisis counselors contact emergency services for help only in cases where risk of harm to self or others is imminent or in progress. Most 988 calls do not involve emergency services. Whenever possible, we recommend less invasive options like collaborating on a safety plan, using a mobile crisis team, working with the individual’s loved ones or professionals, or urging the individual to go to a location emergency department.
Q
How long will I have to wait to talk to a person?
A
We work hard to make sure that everyone who calls 988 can reach a crisis counselor as quickly as possible. If you are in a medical emergency or suicidal crisis and you cannot connect, please call 911.
Q
Will I talk to a real, live person or an automation, bot, or AI?
A
When you call 988, you will be connected with a real, live crisis counselor who will listen, try to understand your problem, provide support, and share resources.
Q
Is it free? 24/7? Confidential?
A
Calling or texting 988 and using our chat service is always free and confidential. The service is available 24/7.
Q
What are the different ways to connect?
A
988 is for anyone needing support – including for suicidal, mental health, and/or substance use crises.
Q
Does 1-800-273-TALK still work?
A
Yes. Dialing 1-800-273-TALK will reach a crisis counselor; 988 is simply an easier-to-remember number for people to access a network of crisis call centers.
Q
How is data protected and confidentiality maintained?
A
All contacts with the 988 Lifeline from people seeking help are to be treated as confidential by the 988 Lifeline and 988 Lifeline network centers. This means that information about callers/chatters/texters will not be shared outside the 988 Lifeline without documented verbal or written consent from the person seeking help, except in cases where there is imminent risk of harm to self or someone else, or where otherwise required by law. It’s important to remember that confidential and anonymous are not synonymous. During your contact with the 988 Lifeline you may voluntarily share certain information about yourself that could be identified and that information may be documented in notes about your conversation. The center may also have access to the phone number or IP address you used to contact the 988 Lifeline. You will never be required to provide other identifying information to receive help from the 988 Lifeline. We rigorously protect all the confidential and identifying information shared with the 988 Lifeline. We may use de-identified and aggregated data for reports to stakeholders, funders, and policymakers about the numbers and types of conversations we have with people in crisis, and the general aggregate demographics of people seeking help from the 988 Lifeline.
Q
Where is 988 available?
A
988 services span every state and all 5 American Territories. However, 988 is a large network of centers, and callers are connected to a callcenter local to their area (like CONTACT CARE).
Contact Us:
Reach out to us with any questions or comments here.