# SAMHSA 988 Press Announcements

SAMHSA 988 Press Announcements

- Biden-Harris Administration Awards More than $230 Million for Suicide Prevention, Behavioral Health Care Programs for At-Risk Communities The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), recently awarded $232.2 million in grants for suicide prevention and behavioral health care for at-risk communities, including more than $200 million in new funding for states, territories, and Tribal nations and organizations to build local capacity for the 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline and related crisis services.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Adds American Sign Language Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Callers Note to editors and reporters: B-roll video (MP4 | 314 MB) is available for download and use in reporting, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Adds Spanish Text and Chat Service Ahead of One-Year Anniversary The 988 Lifeline answered nearly 5 million contacts in the past year – 2 million more than the previous 12 months – following $1 billion Biden-Harris Administration investment Specialized services for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults were expanded, following a successful pilot test
- HHS Publishes National Model Standards for Substance Use, Mental Health, and Family Peer Worker Certifications Peer Workforce Integration is a Primary Goal of President Biden’s National Mental Health Strategy
- HHS Awards Funding to Build Out the Biden-Harris Administration’s Crisis Care 988 Lifeline New funding will expand mobile crisis response teams
- HHS Announces Additional $200 Million in Funding for 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Funding for states, territories, and tribes will help build local capacity.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), today announced more than $200 million in new funding for states, territories, and tribes to build local capacity for the 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline and related crisis services.
- HHS Announces More Than $100 Million in Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Funds for States and Territories to Improve Mental Health Services $59.4 Million Awarded to States and Territories in Community Mental Health Services Block Grant Funding for Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Response $50 Million Will Help States and Territories Expand and Enhance 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline Services
- HHS Assistant Secretary Travels to Puerto Rico to Discuss Behavioral Health Care, Visit Línea PAS 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call Center The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of the Substance Use and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon traveled to Puerto Rico this week to meet with officials on efforts to improve mental health and substance use care for the people of this U.S. territory. While SAMHSA officials routinely visit Puerto Rico, this is the first visit by a sitting head of SAMHSA.
- HHS Secretary: 988 Transition Moves Us Closer to Better Serving the Crisis Care Needs of People Across America Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to fund $150 million for 988 Lifeline, including $35 million announced today to better link 988 Lifeline services to Tribal communities
- Press Guidance: Reporting on 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline The 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, is now the easy-to-remember resource for reaching trained crisis counselors who can help with suicide, mental health and substance use-related crises.Below is press guidance for reporters and others writing about the 988 Lifeline:
- U.S. Transition to 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Begins Saturday On Saturday, the U.S. will transition the 10-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to 988 – an easy-to-remember three-digit number for 24/7 crisis care. The lifeline, which also links to the Veterans Crisis Line, follows a three-year joint effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to put crisis care more in reach for people in need.
- As Part of President Biden’s Mental Health Strategy, HHS Awards Nearly $105 Million to States and Territories to Strengthen Crisis Call Center Services in Advance of July Transition to 988 Funded by the American Rescue Plan, these investments will bolster our crisis care infrastructure
- HHS Announces Critical Investments to Implement Upcoming 988 Dialing Code for National Suicide Prevention Lifeline American Rescue Plan Funding Will Support State Efforts to Transform Suicide and Mental Health Crisis CareToday the Department of Health and Human Services, through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), will make critical investments in suicide prevention and crisis care services, announcing $282 million to help transition the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline exit disclaimer icon from its current 10-digit number to a three-digit dialing code – 988.
- SAMHSA Awards Vibrant Emotional Health the Grant to Administer 988 Dialing Code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988 Available to All Americans in July 2022The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant) will be the administrators of the new 988 dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline).