988 and Your Privacy

Do I have to share any data about myself with 988?
People who contact 988 are not required to provide any personal data to receive services.  Any effort to get information from those who use 988 will serve these purposes:

  • to save lives.
  • to connect people to ongoing supports.
  • to evaluate system needs and performance.

The Lifeline administrator, Vibrant Emotional Health does not sell Lifeline data.

How do 988 calls get routed?
Calls are automatically sent to the closest 988 Lifeline crisis center based on the area code of the phone being used.

Will 988 calls get referred to 911?
Currently, a small percentage of Lifeline calls require the use of 911 when there is an immediate risk to someone's life that cannot be reduced during the Lifeline call.  In these cases, the crisis counselor shares information with 911 that is crucial to saving the caller's life.

If I call 988, will police or EMS be automatically sent to my house?
The primary goal of the Lifeline is to provide support for people in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress.  Less than 2% of Lifeline calls require connection to 911.  Some issues, such as an suicide attempt in progress, require law enforcement and/or EMS response.

For more information on this topic, please click HERE.  

Revised 5.8.2023