988: A Shared Opportunity
988: A Shared Opportunity
On July 16, 2022, the U.S. transitioned to 988—a 3-digit code for people to reach the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, creating a unique opportunity to rethink how people are connected to compassionate, accessible care. Communities around the country are now determining how this new, national dialing code works alongside existing law enforcement and crisis responses.
For criminal justice stakeholders, the transition to 988 is an important opportunity to shift people in crisis toward appropriate care, and help redesign crisis responses that, when implemented effectively, minimize contact with law enforcement and the justice system.
This project seeks to equip criminal justice leaders with information that supports their efforts to:
- Raise awareness of the services 988 provides;
- Build a shared vision of the opportunity 988 presents; and
- Coordinate with their 988 partners and other behavioral health crisis providers to appropriately direct people to 988 from first contact with law enforcement through reentry.

Videos
The Council of State Governments Justice Center invited law enforcement and behavioral health partners from across the country to share their perspectives on law enforcement’s role in supporting 988 implementation in their communities. This video series aims to shine light on the various ways communities are incorporating 988 into existing approaches to crisis response.

Community leaders around the country have heralded the arrival of 988—the 3-digit…
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This project is supported by Grant No. 2019-MO-BX-K002 awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). BJA is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. This work is also conducted in partnership with The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice, SAMHSA, or the Council of State Governments.