As 988 will become an easier number to remember for mental health crises -- similar to how people can dial 911 for medical emergencies -- there has been growing concern among leading mental health and suicide prevention groups that 988 call centers may not be ready to handle an anticipated influx of calls.The call line received 3.6 million calls, chats and texts in 2021, and that number is expected to double in the first full year after the 988 transition, according to SAMHSA.
