988 Minnesota Lifeline Frequently Asked Questions

No. You can contact 988 for help with all types of problems. Whether you had a tough day, are overwhelmed, or are having thoughts of suicide, 988 counselors can provide support through many types of emotional and mental health issues.

988 counselors are experts in providing the immediate support that people need, right in the moment. Most people do not need any additional services. The lifeline will only contact 911 if someone’s life is in immediate danger (for example, if someone has actively begun a suicide attempt when they reach out). This is rare. Fewer than 2% of lifeline calls require a connection to emergency services like 911.

Absolutely.

• For Spanish, call 988 and press 2. Text and chat are also available in Spanish.
• For other languages, 988 counselors can patch in interpreters to help when you call.

Yes. You can directly dial 988 on a videophone or click the "ASL Now" button on 988lifeline.org to connect with counselors who can communicate in ASL and are trained in working with the Deaf and hard of hearing community.

Yes. When you call 988, press 1 to access 988 counselors who focus on serving military members, veterans, and their loved ones. Military and veteran-specific chat (VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat) and text (838255) are also available.

Absolutely. If you prefer to speak to a 988 counselor who focuses on helping LGBTQIA+ communities, call 988, then press 3.

No, you do not need insurance to contact 988. The service is free.

 No, you do not need any identification or documentation to contact 988.

No, you will never chat with a bot when you call, text, or chat online with 988. You will always connect with another person who is ready to help.

Moving to a short, easy-to-remember number for immediate emotional support is part of a larger push to improve emotional and mental health services for Minnesotans. While the full vision of a transformed system with 988 at its core will take time, this is an exciting time to reimagine how these services are provided.

No. You do not need to disclose any personal information about yourself (such as age, race/ethnicity, gender, etc.) to connect with the 988 Lifeline. To provide the most appropriate resources and referrals to social supports, the 988 Lifeline specialist may ask for some demographic information. This is optional and you can decline to provide this information.

No. According to the Federal Communications Commission, calls and texts to 988 require active phone service. You must be subscribed to a paid phone service (monthly or prepaid) to dial or text 988.