A seismic shift is underway in the way the United States responds to behavioral health emergencies — and it could save the health care system up to $39 billion annually. According to projections from the McKinsey Health Institute, the launch of the new 988 Mental Health Crisis Line, paired with improved local and national crisis response systems, stands to make both a humanitarian and economic impact.
Replacing the long-standing ten-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 988 officially rolled out as a simple, three-digit number that connects people in emotional distress with trained professionals. Modeled after the accessibility of 911, the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line is designed to make it easier for individuals in crisis to get immediate help, without relying on police or emergency rooms ill-equipped for mental health situations.
This isn’t just a change in phone number — it’s a transformation in public health response that prioritizes care, accessibility, and long-term savings.
The Investment Behind 988
To make the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line effective, significant investment is required at every level — local, state, and federal. Kana Enomoto, global director of brain health at the McKinsey Health Institute, spoke about this during the NatCon22 conference hosted by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. “There will come a day when everyone — regardless of where they live or who they are — will have somebody to call, chat or text; someone to respond; and a safe place to go,” Enomoto said.
The federal government appears aligned on this vision. The 2023 federal budget proposal includes nearly $700 million dedicated specifically to the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line rollout and the expansion of crisis centers nationwide. Altogether, the proposed White House budget includes $4.8 billion to overhaul the nation’s behavioral health and substance use care infrastructure.
A Lifeline With Long-Term Impact
The goal of the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line is to address behavioral health crises in a way that’s efficient, compassionate, and rooted in clinical care. Right now, too many people in distress are routed to emergency rooms or jails, where they may receive inadequate or inappropriate treatment. The 988 system seeks to change that by offering:
- Someone to talk to: 24/7 access to trained behavioral health responders by call, text, or chat
- Someone to respond: Mobile crisis teams who can provide support in the community
- Somewhere to go: Stabilization facilities or crisis centers that offer short-term, therapeutic care
If executed effectively, the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line could handle over 2 million calls annually, resolve 6.5 million crisis episodes, and lead to 8,500 life-saving interventions every year — all while relieving pressure on the nation’s 911 systems and emergency departments.
Behavioral Health Meets Emergency Response
The importance of moving from a 10-digit number to a three-digit line cannot be overstated. In late 2019, the Federal Communications Commission voted to designate 988 as the national mental health emergency number, helping to put behavioral health support on par with other emergency services.
As Enomoto explained, aligning the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line with the ease of dialing 911 helps galvanize national action. “I’m excited to see how it brought us together,” she shared, though she acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead. “I’m also nervous about the amount of work we face to make it happen.”
Bipartisan Support and the Unity Agenda
The introduction of the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line is a key pillar in President Joe Biden’s Unity Agenda, presented during his 2022 State of the Union address. This initiative stands out for receiving rare bipartisan support — a signal that mental health is no longer a fringe issue, but a national priority.
As part of this agenda, the administration aims to create a more inclusive, integrated system of care that reduces stigma and improves outcomes for individuals facing mental illness, substance use disorders, and emotional crises.
Redefining What Crisis Care Looks Like
While the number itself is new, the concept behind the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line reflects years of advocacy from mental health professionals and community organizations who have long called for a dedicated crisis care system.
What makes 988 different is its potential to provide:
- Immediate, trauma-informed response
- Local follow-up and referral systems
- Data and performance tracking to improve outcomes
- Long-term cost savings for health systems and taxpayers alike
For every crisis call that doesn’t result in unnecessary hospitalization or incarceration, the health care system saves money. Multiply that across millions of calls per year, and you begin to see the scale of the $39 billion annual savings projected by McKinsey.
Looking Ahead
The success of the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line will ultimately depend on continued funding, infrastructure development, and cross-agency collaboration. While many states have already taken steps to support local 988 call centers and mobile response teams, others are still building their capacity.
But the direction is clear: the Mental Health Crisis Line represents a new model for crisis care that prioritizes connection, clinical expertise, and community-based support. If that promise is realized, it won’t just save money — it will save lives, restore dignity, and help millions of people get the care they need when they need it most.
