According to NCDHHS, use of the 988 Lifeline has more than doubled since its launch in 2022 as more North Carolinians seek help through phone calls, texts and online chats.
In March, the agency launched a real-time Mobile Crisis Dispatch process that allows 988 counselors to send a mobile crisis team or connect callers directly with local providers and resources.
The pilot program began in Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Halifax, Lenoir, Nash, Sampson, Warren, Wayne and Wilson counties and has since expanded to 27 counties across eastern North Carolina.
Additionally, NCDHHS upgraded the Behavioral Health Statewide Central Availability Navigator, or BH SCAN, enabling 988 counselors to locate available mental health beds more quickly. State officials said the change has reduced wait times and helped people in crisis receive appropriate care faster.
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Since the launch of 988, demand for the service has continued to grow. From December 2025 through May 2026, the lifeline averaged 15,972 monthly contacts, including calls, chats and texts. That represents a 10% increase from the previous six-month period and more than double the number of contacts received during the service's first year of operation.
NCDHHS also recently added text and chat capabilities to North Carolina's Peer Warmline (1-855-PEERS-NC), which operates alongside 988. The Peer Warmline is staffed by peer support specialists with lived experience navigating mental health and substance use challenges.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in English and Spanish by phone, text and online chat. The service provides support for people experiencing depression, emotional distress, mental health crises or thoughts of self-harm, as well as anyone who needs someone to talk to.
Specialized services are also available for veterans, and American Sign Language support is offered for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals through video call.
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