After Three Years, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Still Largely Unknown
December 2025
Three years after its launch, less than half of U.S. adults are familiar with the 988 Lifeline.
A new national survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago reveals that awareness of the National 988 Lifeline remains low three and a half years after its launch. Only 10 percent of adults report being very or extremely familiar with 988 and around 60 percent report limited to no familiarity, indicating that new strategies may be needed to raise awareness among the general public.
Adults ages 18-29 are significantly more likely to know about 988 than adults ages 65 and older, despite the fact that older adults are disproportionately affected by social isolation, loneliness, and suicide, and could benefit from 988’s services.
About half of U.S. adults would call or text 988 if they were thinking about suicide.
When asked about reasons they might contact 988, 48 percent of adults say they would call or text if they were having suicidal thoughts. About one-third say they would contact 988 to help a friend or loved one (35 percent) or for mental health concerns such as depression or anxiety (34 percent). Thirty-six percent say they would not contact 988 for any reason.
Adults’ familiarity with 988 is associated with willingness to contact 988; 62 percent of adults who are extremely or very familiar would contact 988 for thoughts of suicide compared to 39 percent of those who are not very or not at all familiar.
Willingness to contact 988 varies across demographic groups.
Adults’ willingness to contact 988 differs by age, education, sex, race, and reason for calling.
Older adults (ages 65+) and Black adults are more likely to say they would contact 988 to help a friend or loved one, when compared with younger and White adults, respectively. For mental health concerns, Black and Hispanic adults would be more willing than White adults to contact 988 (47 percent of Black adults, 41 percent of Hispanic adults, 29 percent of White adults).
Women say they would contact 988 for domestic or interpersonal violence more than men (28 percent of women vs. 18 percent of men).
Substance use and suicide are closely linked, yet many adults are unlikely to contact 988 for substance use support.
In recent years, the Lifeline has encouraged people to use 988 for emotional support, including for substance use; several states and community-based organizations have followed this example (e.g., New York State’s 988: We Hear You campaign). Even so, only 18 percent of adults surveyed said they would contact 988 for issues related to alcohol or drug use, similar to other polling from soon after 988 launched (23 percent of respondents in a 2022 Harris poll).
Overall, awareness of 988 has grown since its launch in 2022, but familiarity remains low and willingness to contact 988 varies widely across the population. The 911 helpline remains a more prominent and trusted resource, with a recent study indicating 54 percent of U.S. adults would call 911 for a mental health crisis.
"988 is an invaluable resource for those struggling with issues ranging from depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts to substance use and interpersonal violence,” said Brett Harris, principal research scientist at NORC and an expert in suicide prevention. “Our findings suggest new strategies are needed to encourage its use, not just for crisis situations but for other issues that may cause emotional distress and are closely linked to suicide risk, including substance use."
“Our findings suggest new strategies are needed to encourage use of 988, not just for crisis situations but for other issues that may cause emotional distress and are closely linked to suicide risk, including substance use.”
Targeted communication about 988 and its range of services, including how 988 can support individuals with substance use, could help increase public awareness and encourage more people to seek help. However, other factors may also affect willingness to contact 988, including fear of police involvement and stigma around mental health and addiction. Given higher levels of stigma around addiction than mental health, convincing individuals to contact 988 for substance use may be an even greater challenge that requires targeted and tailored messaging about privacy and confidentiality.
More research may reveal additional insights into the general public’s perceptions, barriers, and intentions to contact 988. An evaluation of 988’s implementation, including analyzing call trends, gathering community feedback, and tracking changes in public perception and help-seeking behaviors, could also inform strategies to increase uptake.
Methodology
A poll of 1,090 American adults was conducted between November 6-10, 2025, using the AmeriSpeak® Omnibus, a bi-monthly multi-client survey using the AmeriSpeak Panel, NORC’s probability-based panel that is designed to be representative of the U.S. household population. The margin of error is +/- 4.0 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level, including the design effect. View the study questions and tabulations of top-level results for each question in the topline for this NORC Spotlight on Health.
About the NORC Spotlight on Health
NORC at the University of Chicago’s Spotlight on Health is a series of quick-hitting national surveys and analyses on issues vital to health and well-being, conducted using AmeriSpeak’s probability-based panels.
NORC’s Behavioral Health Expertise
NORC delivers research and technical assistance to improve mental health and substance use outcomes nationwide. Our work spans suicide prevention, substance use prevention/early intervention, integration of behavioral and primary care, financing innovations, and communication strategies to boost engagement. We also provide training, program evaluation, and workforce development to strengthen behavioral health systems. Learn more: Behavioral Health | NORC at the University of Chicago
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago conducts research and analysis that decision-makers trust. As a nonpartisan research organization and a pioneer in measuring and understanding the world, we have studied almost every aspect of the human experience and every major news event for more than eight decades. Today, we partner with government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world to provide the objectivity and expertise necessary to inform the critical decisions facing society.
Contact: For more information, please contact Anna-Leigh Ong at NORC at ong-anna-leigh@norc.org or (917) 242-2172 (cell).
