Connecticut – along with nine other states – saw an 18% decline in suicide rates among young people, after the national crisis hotline 988 launched in 2022.
States with the largest increases in 988 calls, including Connecticut, saw the biggest drops, according to the study, which was published in April in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
“Our team knows that a quick response can save a life,” said Lisa Tepper Bates, president and CEO of United Way of Connecticut, which operates the crisis call center. “More than 95% of Connecticut callers tell us their state of crisis diminished during their call.”
Across the United States of America, suicide remains a leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The 988 number replaced a 10-digit crisis hotline in 2022. Since then, crisis call volume increased in Connecticut nearly 350%.
In 2025, more than 55,000 988 calls were fielded – the nonprofit also fields local 211 crisis calls.
“Our contact specialists do heroic work every day. They meet each caller where they are, taking the time to understand each person’s needs, de-escalate the crisis and develop a stabilizing path forward,” said Tanya Barrett, senior vice president of 211 Health and Human Services at United Way of Connecticut in a statement.
Barrett said that can involve helping a caller to build a plan to re-connect to their existing supports, or to connect with new resources for help.
United Way of Connecticut’s crisis center launched a 24/7 local response to 988 chats and texts in November 2025. Prior to this expansion, national backup centers provided much of the Connecticut chat and text response. But research shows that in-state crisis specialists are better equipped to connect callers to local support.
This year through April, 988 CT responded to 3,353 chats and texts; 21% were from youth under the age of 18.
“Every life saved represents hope and demonstrates the power of personal connection in a moment of need,” said Nancy Navarretta, commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in a statement. “Preventing suicide is a core goal of Connecticut’s Health and Human Services State agencies, and we are encouraged to see data showing that 988 is making a meaningful difference for Connecticut residents.”
