988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Hope has a new number: 988
On July 16, 2022, the United States entered a new era of behavioral health with a new 3-digit number to access services: 988. Any Tennessean can call 988 and press 0 to be routed to their local call center. Much like 911 did for emergency services, we believe this number will become a great resource for connecting people to the right treatment at the right time in the right setting.
988 Offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:
- Thoughts of suicide
- Mental health or substance use crisis, or
- Any other kind of emotional distress
People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. Call 988 and press 0 to be routed immediately to a crisis counselor.
988 Serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help. Want to learn more about 988? Visit 988lifeline.org.
How it works:
1. Each county is designated a Primary Call Center where all calls are routed.
2. If the call is not answered by the Primary Call Center within a specified timeframe, each county has a Backup Call Center.
3. If neither answers the call within a specified timeframe the call is routed to one of the National Backup Call Centers.
For Text and Chat:
We have 24/7 coverage for text and chat. These services are provided by three crisis centers in Tennessee covering all 95 counties. Chats/texts are identified by state and routed to the appropriate in-state providers.
How 988 Works with Tennessee's Crisis Continuum