The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the addition of Spanish text and chat services to its 988 Lifeline service, as well as specialized services for LGBTQI+ teens and young adults, HHS announced in a news release July 13.
“Building on our good news, this year we enhance 988’s reach by adding new 24/7 text and chat support in Spanish to the already existing call support," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release. "988 is about delivering life-saving resources to Americans facing mental health challenges, and now we can say that to you in Spanish.”
The inclusion of Spanish text and chat services came a year after the launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. After a pilot test, HHS added specialized services for LGBTQI+ young people in July. The 988 Lifeline is a vital component of the Biden Administration's plan to address the nation's mental health epidemic, according to the release, and the administration committed close to $1 billion to the project so far. With about 5 million contacts answered in the past year, this investment has led to an increase in calls, messages and chats, assisting millions of people thus far, HHS reported.
Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) has responded to roughly 1 million of the nearly 5 million calls, the release said, as military personnel, veterans, and their families can contact the VCL by dialing 988 and selecting option 1. The service offers a network of more than 200 state and local call centers supported by HHS through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which responds to crises involving substance use, mental health and suicide, the release said.
Funding for the 988 program comes from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), which have contributed approximately $1 billion to the program, which is part of Biden's Unity Agenda to address the mental health issue. More than $200 million has gone directly to states, territories and Tribes to boost local responsiveness and hire crisis counselors, HHS reported.
