Indiana suicide crisis hotline calls double in 2 years
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — When Indiana launched its 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number in July 2022, it received 3,700 calls that month. In July 2024, the lifeline received 7,700 calls.
That number isn’t uncommon. According to the state’s Director of Behavioral Health Crisis Care Kara Biro, the lifeline now routinely receives about 7,000 calls monthly, representing a growing need among Hoosiers.
“This is important because it shows that more people in our state are aware of 988, and are utilizing it as a resource, and that we’re able to get people in our state, individuals in crisis, the support that they need,” Biro said during a Friday event marking National Suicide Prevention and Recovery Month in September.
The state has also increased the number of calls that are answered by people in Indiana.
In 2022, before the lifeline launched, only 77% of calls were answered by people inside the state. Today, more than 90% of calls are received by call centers in Indiana.
The response team can now dispatch crisis teams to a large portion of Indiana’s 92 counties and 19 crisi providers have funding to help people when needed.
The free lifeline uses three pillars to address Hoosiers experiencing a mental health crisis.
” There’s someone to contact, which starts at our 988 crisis centers,” Biro said. “There’s someone to respond with our verbal crisis teams, and there’s safe place for help in our crisis receiving and stabilization services.”