988 Communications One Year Post-Launch

Background:

Almost exactly a year ago in July 2022, the U.S. transitioned to a three-digit number – 988 – as the easy to remember three-digit dialing, texting, and chat code for anyone experiencing a suicidal or mental health related crisis. This opportunity created an urgent need for consistent, coordinated, and accurate messaging.

Program background: SAMHSA’s 988 team faced notable communications challenges leading up to and within the first year of 988. The 988 office and its partners mobilized to respond to them.

Evaluation Methods and Results:

SAMHSA fostered collaborative efforts that resulted in creative solutions to overcome communications challenges for immediate and short-term needs, while simultaneously building a foundation for longer-term, research-based communications work.

Conclusions:

The 988 team's collaborative efforts helped focus the field and also led to the development of a robust toolkit for partners seeking to promote 988 among their own networks. The 988 team is also looking ahead to the next chapter for 988 communications work, including the currently underway 988 Formative Research Project managed by the Action Alliance via SPRC, and future desired efforts.

Implications for research and/or practice:

SAMHSA’s 988 communications efforts can serve as a model for federal, state, and local agencies seeking collaborative communications solutions to long-term public health challenges.