Baldwin Celebrates Success of Her 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on Fourth Anniversary

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the fourth anniversary of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is celebrating the proven success 988 has had on mental health outcomes. The fourth anniversary comes on the heels of a new study that found that since the launch of the three-digit crisis line, youth suicide deaths dropped 11% below projections, saving 4,372 lives.

"I wrote the legislation to stand up the 988 crisis line because I knew that if we made getting help a little easier for people when they need it most, it would save so much heartache," said Senator Baldwin. "Over the past four years, millions upon millions of Americans reached out and got support they needed, and this investment is saving lives. Despite the resounding success, Donald Trump and RFK, Jr. have tried to undercut and gut this tool - and I am not having it. I have been proud to stand up and fight back at every turn - and I'll continue to do just that to make sure every call and text gets answered and every person gets the help they need."

Senator Baldwin wrote and passed the legislation to create the three-digit 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and has led the fight to ensure it gets properly funded each year. To support Wisconsin's implementation of 988, the Senator also secured over $3 million in dedicated federal funding. When it was established, Baldwin and her Republican counterpart incorporated a specialized service for veterans, who disproportionately have suicidal ideation. Baldwin then successfully stood up a pilot program to address higher rates of suicide and mental health challenges among LGBTQ+ youth. Last July, President Trump eliminated the 988 Lifeline's LGBTQ+ youth specialized services. As ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, Senator Baldwin fought to secure $535 million for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and to restore dedicated funding for LGBTQ+ youth specialized services in Fiscal Year 2026 funding legislation. Senator Baldwin also secured a commitment from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to follow the law and restore the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline "Press 3" option that provides specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth.

The demand for 988 continues to rise, with the volume of calls, texts, and chats 15% higher than a year earlier and nearly 50% higher than two years ago. Since the lifeline launched, it has received over 23 million contacts, including over 15 million calls, 4 million texts, and 3 million chats. Last month, Senator Baldwin toured the 988-call center in Green Bay and held a roundtable with 988 Lifeline staff and local stakeholders about the impact the crisis line has had on mental health outcomes.

Watch Senator Baldwin's full video marking the fourth anniversary of the 988 hotline here: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter. The full video is available for download here.

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