Governor gives update on 988

Governor Laura Kelly today announced that since its launch in July 2022, the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has handled a nearly 27% increase in call volume compared to the six months before its launch. Based on national projections, Kansas is estimated to reach 120,000 Kansans in the hotline’s first full year of operation.In June 2022, Governor Kelly signed Senate Bill 19, bipartisan legislation that created the state’s three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL). The hotline is backed by federal funding, with the idea that – like 9-1-1 – 9-8-8 is easier to remember in a crisis.