Yesterday, Sept. 8, was “988 Day,” a date when suicide prevention groups publicize their three-digit hotlines for troubled people to get help with serious emotional distress of various types, including suicidal thoughts.
Since the 9-8-8 calling number was made available in the state in 2022, United Way has operated it, and on this year’s 988 Day, it’s boasting about its successes.
— This article is based on a news release from United Way of Connecticut. Statistics have been put in boldface. (“9-8-8” here refers to the number that people can dial to reach the hotline; “988” refers to the name of the service.)
United Way of Connecticut’s 211 has provided Suicide and Crisis Lifeline support to residents of our state for more than 40 years. The launch of the national three-digit 9-8-8 dialing code in 2022 offered an additional opportunity to expand access and awareness of that important service.
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Reaching to get support / Reaching to give support
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides judgment-free, compassionate support for anyone experiencing emotional distress, mental health challenges, problems with substance use, loneliness and thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
988 serves as an access point for information and referral to critically needed help, including our state’s mobile mental health crisis teams, community resources including mental health counseling, and support groups.
As 988 awareness continues to grow, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline use is increasing: in 2025, 988 CT served more than 2.5X the number of callers compared to 2022, the year the national 988 three-digit dialing code launched.
In Fiscal Year 2025 alone, 988 CT handled more than 55,000 calls. United Way of Connecticut’s crisis center continues to build capacity to ensure that the team is ready to respond to all calls as well as chats and texts from CT residents.
“988 is a critically important service for those in crisis. We are proud of the performance of the 988 CT service. Most importantly — more than 95% of Connecticut callers tell us that their state of crisis diminished during their call with our team,” said Nancy Navaretta, Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Lisa Tepper Bates, president and CEO of United Way of Connecticut, said because of her organization’s “robust partnership” with the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, “United Way of Connecticut’s 988 crisis service is a top performer in the nation.
“Picking up every urgent 988 call as quickly as possible is critical — and our 988 CT team consistently ranks in the nation’s top five 988 centers for speed to answer,” Bates said.
In Fiscal Year 2025, 988 CT answered 97% of calls within 5 seconds, beating the national goal of answering 95% of all calls in 15 seconds.
“Our team knows that quick response can save a life. Our contact specialists do heroic work every day: they meet each caller where they are, taking the time to understand each person’s needs, de-escalate the crisis and offer options for support,” said Tanya Barrett, senior vice president of 211 health and human services.
“Often, this involves helping a caller to build a plan to de-escalate their sense of crisis, and to connect to their existing supports and resources,” Barrett said.
While the 988 CT team engages emergency response when it is needed, less than 1% of all 988 CT crisis calls this past year required escalation to 911 for active rescue or medical emergency response.
If you are struggling with your mental health, feeling overwhelmed or just need someone to talk to, you’re not alone and you don’t have to go through it alone. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is here for you: anytime, anywhere. Call or text 988.
About United Way of Connecticut
United Way of Connecticut works with the 14 local United Ways in our state to advocate for innovative statewide solutions, including 211CT and 988 in Connecticut, Care 4 Kids and ALICE. Learn more at ctunitedway.org.
About United Way of Connecticut 211
211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people with the help they need 24/7/365. Since 1976, 211 CT has supported millions of Connecticut residents with connection to essential services to help them meet their basic needs, from help with utility bills to housing assistance to mental health resources. In FY 2025, United Way of Connecticut’s 211 (211 CT) responded to more than 1.7 million inquiries from residents seeking help.
The 211 systems serve Connecticut residents over the phone, online or by text — with the goal of helping callers find the tools they need to begin to overcome problems leading to their distress.
Accredited by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) and the American Association of Suicidology for crisis intervention, 211CT is a national leading 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, answering 97% of these calls in less than 5 seconds. Learn more at 211ct.org.