988 Hotline Answer Rates Uneven Across States

Answer rates for the revamped 988 suicide and crisis hotline are still not uniform across the country two years after its launch, Axios reports.

States have not made equal efforts to fund crisis and call centers long-term, which causes answer rates to vary based on location. Each state must also create their own rules and regulations regarding 988 services, and some have been working on their mental health crisis responses for significantly longer than others.

The national average answer rate is 89%. Some states, like Mississippi, Montana and Rhode Island, answered 97% of calls. Others, like Nevada and Illinois, only responded to 64% and 66% of calls, respectively.

Leaders agree that there is a significant need for national consistency through coordinated federal and state efforts.