Kansas’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Coordinating Council Reports Year-3 Data

TOPEKA – The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has been in operation for a full three years and has seen successes with response to those in crisis. Today, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) is sharing a report detailing actions taken by the Kansas 988 Coordinating Council in 2025 and highlighting data on the 988 Lifeline in the state. The report to the 2025 Kansas Legislature was created by the council with support from the Kansas Health Institute (KHI).

Throughout 2025, the 988 Coordinating Council convened six times, focusing on several topics, including evaluating key performance indicators such as call volumes, in-state answer rates, and response times, which are instrumental in assessing the impact of the 988 system.

“The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a critical resource for Kansans in moments of distress,” KDADS Deputy Secretary Andrew Brown said. “Whether someone is facing a mental health crisis, struggling with substance use, or simply needs someone to talk to, 988 provides immediate, confidential support anytime, anywhere in Kansas. The 988 Lifeline ensures that help is just a call or text away.”

The most recent data indicate that overall, Kansas is maintaining the goals set in the original Kansas 988 Implementation Plan. Some highlights include:

• A steady increase in call volume, with the number of routed calls climbing from 2,751 in January 2025 to as high as 3,796 in October 2025.

• An in-state answer rate that remained around or above the state goal of 90 percent after March 2025, after starting the year below the goal.

In 2025, the council focused on strengthening coordination across Kansas’s crisis response system and evaluating future needs as 988 call volume and public awareness continued to grow. Discussions centered on improving mobile crisis response and dispatch technology, enhancing 988-911 interoperability, and expanding outreach to ensure statewide access to services. The council also reviewed trends in sustainable funding used by other states, assessing long-term budget capacity as demand increases.

 In Kansas, the 988 call centers are independently operated and receive additional state funding and oversight from KDADS and the coordinating council. The report includes recommendations for legislators to consider.

The 988 Coordinating Council recommends that the legislature take action to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of Kansas’s 988 system by increasing available funding and maintaining coordinated oversight of crisis response services. Specifically, the council recommends increasing the budget for 988 operations and related crisis services, either by:

• Raising the current $10 million cap on the 988 Fund to $13 million;
• Identifying alternative or supplemental revenue sources, such as allocating a percentage of state lottery proceeds or sports betting revenue to the 988 Fund;

• Revisiting the discussion of the telecommunications fee as an additional, stable funding stream to support ongoing 988 operations, technology, and workforce needs.

An additional recommendation from the council is to extend the 988 Coordinating Council beyond June 30, 2026, to provide continued oversight, coordination, and system development.

The launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline) in July 2022 represented a shift in how the U.S. addresses behavioral health crises. By simplifying access to support — replacing the longer National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number with the easy-to-remember 988 — the goal was to provide an immediate, accessible resource for anyone in distress. 988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress, including thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, and/or any other kind of emotional distress. 988 serves as a universal entry point, so that no matter where someone lives in the United States, they can reach a trained crisis counselor for help.

Learn more about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in Kansas. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for help.

For details about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in Kansas or the 988 Coordinating Council, contact KDADS Communications Director Cara Sloan-Ramos at [email protected]. For more information about the report, contact KHI Director of Strategic Communication and Engagement Theresa Freed at [email protected] or 316-305-5190.

The Kansas Health Institute supports effective policymaking through nonpartisan research, education, and engagement. KHI believes evidence-based information, objective analysis, and civil dialogue enable policy leaders to champion a healthier Kansas. Established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, KHI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization based in Topeka. Learn more about KHI.

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