New Federal Bill Would Boost Funding for 988 Mental Health Crisis Line

New Federal Bill Would Boost Funding for 988 Mental Health Crisis Line

Posted on March 18, 2022

The 988 Implementation Act builds on the 2020 legislation that designated 988 as the new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. That bill authorized states to add surcharges to the monthly telephone bills of consumers to help fund the line but provided no other funding to states to run it. So far, according to NAMI, only four states (CO, NV, VA, WA) have done so. “It’s going to take federal investment as well as state and local leadership to make a 988 crisis continuum available to everyone,” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI Chief Advocacy Officer. “While Congress gave states this mechanism for a new funding stream, it is discouraging to see so few states leverage the opportunity.”