Suicide Prevention
Get Help
Data
Community Prevention
Minnesota Response
Related Topics
Contact Info
Injury and Violence Prevention Section
988 Lifeline Frequently Asked Questions
Need immediate emotional support? 988 Lifeline in Minnesota is here to help.
Call, text, or chat the free lifeline to connect to a trained and caring counselor and get support for whatever you’re dealing with. Call for yourself or if you’re worried about a loved one.
What is 988?
988 provides immediate emotional support to Minnesota residents. Staffed by trained counselors at local 988 centers, the lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
What can you reach out to 988 about?
Minnesotans contact 988 for many reasons. You can reach out about:
- Tough days
- Stress
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Problems with your job or business
- Concerns about money
- Relationships
- Losing a loved one
- Figuring out your identity
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Thoughts of suicide
- Concerns about drug use
- Concerns about alcohol use
- Emotional impact of physical illness
- Just needing someone to talk to
- And more…
Common 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.
988 provides immediate emotional support. You can contact 988 about everything from a tough day and stress to thoughts of suicide and concerns about alcohol or drug use.
Call 911 if you need EMS, fire and/or police dispatched to your location.
No. 988 is safe and confidential and will not share your information.
The lifeline may contact 911 if someone’s life is in immediate danger. This is rare. Fewer than 2% of lifeline interactions 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.
When you reach out to 988 through text or online chat, you will also have the option to connect with a counselor who focuses on LGBTQIA+ communities.
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.
Updates on 988 are shared through the monthly Suicide Prevention newsletter. You can sign up subscribe to the Suicide Prevention Newsletter.
Visit 988 Lifeline System Services to learn more about how the 988 Lifeline operates in Minnesota.
Last Updated: 06/04/2024