You could call “988” a hit. As of March 2026 data, the volume of calls, texts, and chats across the network of 200 local and state-funded crisis call centers was 15% higher than a year earlier and nearly 50% higher than two years ago, according to a new analysis, 988 Enters Its Fourth Year As Demand Grows & The Mental Health & Substance Use Landscape Shifts.

It’s hard to measure the impact of the 988 initiative. But some preliminary research has shown lower-than-expected deaths among people ages 15 to 34 after 988 launched (see Suicide Mortality Among Adolescents & Young Adults After Launch Of A Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).

But sustainability of the initiative is in question. Relatively few…