Floridians are among the nation's lowest 988 users
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Florida ranks 49th nationwide for 988 calls per capita, a new analysis finds.
Why it matters: Use of the 988 national suicide prevention and mental health hotline remains uneven across states.
- The service was launched nearly three years ago to help address America's mental health crisis — but gaps persist.
Driving the news: The service received 15.6 contacts per 1,000 Floridians in 2024, per new research published in JAMA Network Open. That's one of the lowest in the nation, besides Delaware (12.5) and Alabama (14.4).
- Alaska (45.3 contacts per 1,000 people), Vermont (40.2) and New York (38.8) had the highest 988 contact rates among states in 2024.
The big picture: The 988 service fielded more than 16.3 million calls, texts and chats between July 2022 and the end of 2024.
- The national contact rate was 48.9 per 1,000 people during that period, and 23.7 in 2024 alone.
How it works: "Contacts" include all calls, texts and chats sent to 988, including those forwarded along to more specific services, like the Veterans Crisis Line and the LGBTQ+ Line.
- Geography for calls and chats was assigned based on users' phone numbers, while texts were assigned by ZIP codes shared during pre-chat surveys.
What's next: Last year's nationwide 988 contact rate was less than half the rate of adult emergency room visits related to mental health, the analysis finds, despite ERs' cost and access issues.
- That, study author Jonathan Purtle says, suggests there's plenty of opportunity to expand 988 use.
If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat with someone at 988lifeline.org. En español.