Millions have used the 988 mental health crisis line, but most say they would not use it again | CNN

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The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has received millions of calls, texts and online messages since its launch in summer 2022, but a new study suggests the mental health resource is far from reaching its full potential.

People experiencing severe psychological distress were more likely than others to have heard of 988 and used the lifeline, according to a study published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open. But overall, only a quarter of people said they were likely to turn to 988 in the future if they or a loved one were experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal tendencies and fewer than a A third of people with serious psychological distress who had previously tried the lifebuoy were likely to use it again.

The launch of the 988 helpline was a crucial step in meeting the Americas’ growing needs for mental health services, but we need to understand why so many users in severe distress would no longer use it, if that means better training is needed, more resources or other solutions, said Michael A. Lindsey, dean of New York University’s Silver School of Social Work and co-author of the new study.

The findings are based on a nationally representative survey of about 5,000 people conducted in June. Psychological distress was assessed based on self-reported responses to a standardized set of questions about feelings and experiences.

Lifeline 988 was launched in July 2022, changing from the national suicide prevention lifeline to a broader focus and simpler dialing code. Since then, 988 has received approximately 6.5 million calls, texts and chats, including more than 500,000 in September alone, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration. addiction and mental health services. CNN reached out to the agency for its perspective on the lifeline’s success beyond call volume metrics.

As the United States faces a serious mental health crisis, experts emphasize the critical importance of a tool like the 988 Lifeline. Monica Johnson, director of the 988 Crisis Coordination Office and behavioral health, called it the most transformative initiative in behavioral health care she has seen in her decades-long career.

And the critical need makes it all the more important to get it right.

I don’t think in any way that our data should indicate failure, said Jonathan Purtle, an associate professor at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, who led the new research. We need it in this country and it’s very important. This is very new and it’s reasonable that it will take some time to get it right.

The success of Lifeline 988 would involve active management of acute crises and help connect people to broader mental health resources, he said.

It is active and supportive listening, an evaluation and it is a door to care. It’s an entry into a system, he said. In an ideal world, success is getting all of this on a call, but also getting follow-up care in a good support system after the phone call or texting is over.

Notably, additional analysis of the survey data also found that people experiencing psychological distress were also less likely to turn to other sources of mental health support, Purtle said, including psychologists, psychiatrists, friends and family members.

988 interactions should leave people with a sense of hope and resources they can access and benefit from. Successful lifeline interactions would be culturally competent and locally managed, Lindsay said.

But getting it right from the start and beyond will require better training of mental health professionals, the study authors said.

Before 988, the lifeline existed but was marketed as the suicide prevention lifeline for a much narrower type of caller, Purtle said. 988 is a whole different animal. It’s a larger number of callers, a wider range of challenges, and one could probably argue that different types of training need to be put in place to meet people where they are when they call.