988 Minnesota Lifeline Continues Growing
July 23, 2026
Calls, texts, and chats routed to 988 Minnesota Lifeline centers have increased year after year since the national mental health lifeline launched in July 2022.
Contacts climbed from about 25,000 in the first six months of the program, to about 83,000 in the first half of 2026.
Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota Legislature passed legislation in 2023 to provide funding support for 988 to meet increasing needs, as more Minnesotans learn about and use 988.
The funding supports local 988 Minnesota Lifeline centers, which allows Minnesotans to connect with in-state specialists. These specialists are trained to listen, help callers be heard, and reduce danger by guiding them to a calmer place. Specialists also can help callers with making a safety plan and connecting them to local community resources.
The 988 Minnesota Lifeline is displayed prominently on the MMA’s Treat Yourself First website, which provides resources to all Minnesota healthcare workers seeking mental health services and support.
The 988 Minnesota Lifeline is a free, 24/7, confidential resource for anyone needing emotional or mental health support. People can call or text 988, or chat online at 988Lifeline.org. 988 specialists can patch in interpreters in more than 200 languages to help callers.
In 2022, Minnesota's age-adjusted suicide rate was at a historic high of 14.8 per 100,000 residents (860 deaths by suicide). That rate declined in 2023 and 2024; however, it saw a slight uptick in 2025, but is still below the historic high. More information can be found in the recent data brief on the MDH Suicide Data and Reports webpage.
