NAMI Polling and State Legislative Brief Highlight Opportunities to Improve Federal and State Mental Health Crisis Response After Two Years of 988 Lifeline

Posted on July 15, 2024

NAMI report highlights states’ progress in addressing crisis response, but new NAMI/Ipsos polling finds Americans continue to have low familiarity of 988 while strongly supporting efforts to reimagine nation’s mental health crisis system

Arlington, VA — On the eve of the second anniversary of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s nationwide availability, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) today released two new resources that highlight crucial steps policymakers can take to help people experiencing a mental health crisis. More than 10 million contacts have already been made to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline since July 2022, however, today’s new polling, conducted with Ipsos, and a new state legislative issue brief show the pressing need to raise awareness of 988 while strengthening the crisis response system to meet the growing demand.

“After two years of 988, millions of people have already received help for a mental health crisis or other emotional distress. As we look to year three, NAMI’s new poll shows that we’re only scratching the surface on getting the word out about this life-saving resource,” said NAMI Chief Executive Officer Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. “With strong trust in 988, strong support for policies and funding for 988 and crisis services as well as innovative examples of how states are addressing this challenge, it’s time for policymakers at every level to do more to reimagine and strengthen our response to mental health crises and help people get the care they need.”

Trust in the system

NAMI and Ipsos started measuring awareness of 988 in Fall 2021, before 988 became available nationwide. While awareness has increased significantly since then, the latest poll – conducted in June – finds awareness and familiarity with 988 have remained steady since October 2023. Two-thirds of Americans have at least heard of 988, but only 23% are familiar with what 988 is and the response someone would receive when reaching out for help.

Nearly 9 in 10 people who are familiar with 988 trust they would receive the help they needed if they contacted 988, and this group is 10 percentage points more comfortable and more likely than adults at large to reach out to a 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline counselor for support during a mental health crisis or emergency. Overall, 82% of Americans trust they’d receive the help they need from 988 upon reaching out. Of those who have contacted 988 already, about two-thirds (68%) say they got the help they needed – a significant (13 percentage points) improvement from a year ago.

There is a knowledge gap about what 988 is and who the 988 Lifeline can help. Thirty-eight percent of respondents don’t know what to do if someone they love is in a mental health crisis, while 51% aren’t sure when a situation is serious enough to contact 988.

Room to grow

This data highlights the importance of further public awareness and education about what 988 is and how it can help people in crisis, which makes the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) new five-month 988 awareness campaign even more critical.

“SAMHSA’s campaign couldn’t come at a better time to reach more people, especially disproportionately impacted communities,” said Gillison.

In addition to 988 awareness, respondents agree that policymakers must act now to ensure that life-saving resources and services are available when someone reaches out for help. More than 8 in 10 adults support federal funding (83%) or state funding (83%) for 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline call center operations and crisis response services, as well as requiring all health insurers to cover mental health crisis services (88%). In fact, nearly half of respondents say that 988 should be a high or the highest federal funding priority for Congress (49%). This funding is needed to support robust capacity – highlighted by the fact that about half (51%) said that being able to speak to a crisis counselor immediately is the most important factor in reaching out to 988.

“People want to know that if they contact 988, they won’t be put on hold or wait for help,” said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI’s Chief Advocacy Officer. “Continued investments in 988 are critical to meet the demand – and answer calls quickly – as awareness grows.”

States take a leading role

In addition to federal leadership on awareness and funding, much of the activity around reimagining the ways communities respond to people in a mental health crisis is happening at the state level. Today, NAMI also released its latest issue brief, Trends in State Policy: 988 and Reimagining Crisis Response, exploring state legislative successes in 2023 that have improved the mental health crisis system. Key legislation highlighted in the brief includes states passing sustainable funding for 988, yearly appropriations, insurance coverage of crisis care, and how states are planning for the future. NAMI continues to track state legislation nationwide that would improve 988 and crisis response in real -time. To see what is moving in different states, visit reimaginecrisis.org/map.

The brief also focuses on recommendations for policymakers to continue improving crisis response services. Three in four (75%) Americans surveyed in the June poll are not content with the state of mental health care in this country.

“This data – and the momentum around 988 and reimagining crisis response – shows that it is urgent for all policymakers to leverage best practices passed by other states and take action to improve mental health crisis services and the broader mental health system,” said Wesolowski. “We cannot slow down our efforts to #ReimagineCrisis until every person in crisis has someone to talk to, someone to respond, and a safe place for help.”

Find additional data from the new poll at nami.org/summer2024poll, as well as the polling topline and research slide deck. Read the full NAMI issue brief, Trends in State Policy: 988 and Reimagining Crisis Response.

This NAMI/Ipsos poll was conducted June 7 – 9, 2024, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 2,048 general population adults age 18 or older. The survey has a margin of error of ± 2.2 percentage points. Learn more about the poll methodology here.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness

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