SMVF Spotlight: Celebrating the One-Year Anniversary of 988’s Launch and Integration with the Veterans Crisis Line

July marks the 1-year anniversary of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline implementation and its integration with the Veterans Crisis Line (Dial 988 then Press 1). The Veterans Crisis Line is a key component of the nation’s largest integrated suicide prevention network, and this new, shorter number has made it easier for service members and Veterans in crisis to access lifesaving support and connect with caring, qualified responders. Within the first year of 988, almost 1 million of the 5 million contacts were answered by the Veterans Crisis Line.

As we celebrate the 1-year anniversary of 988, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance Center (SAMHSA’s SMVF TA Center) reached out to Dr. Elyse Kaplan, Deputy Director of the National Care Coordination and Peer Support Services with the Veterans Crisis Line, to discuss how “Dial 988 then Press 1” has impacted the accessibility and efficiency of the Veterans Crisis Line over the last year. She also discusses the role of the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA’s) suicide prevention coordinators (SPCs) and the steps the Veterans Crisis Line is taking to create a safe and respectful environment for Veterans.

How has the introduction of the easy-to-remember number (Dial 988 then Press 1) impacted the accessibility and efficiency of the Veterans Crisis Line over the last year?

The new, shorter number directly addresses the need for ease of access and clarity in times of crisis, both for Veterans and non-Veterans alike. In preparation for 988, the Veterans Crisis Line expanded its organizational chart in 2021 to ensure adequate staffing to meet the demand. Since the implementation of 988, the Veterans Crisis Line has seen an approximate 12% increase in calls, 9% increase in chats and 46% increase in text.

With over 450 SPCs nationwide, there is no doubt these professionals are highly involved with the Veterans Crisis Line’s referral process. How does the Veterans Crisis Line work with SPCs, specifically, to connect or re-connect Veterans with care at their local VA? 

The Veterans Crisis Line provides a referral to any Veteran caller upon their request, or a request is offered when a Veterans Crisis Line responder determines a Veteran may have unmet needs. Upon receipt of the request, the SPC will outreach the Veteran within 1 business day and work to close the referral within 3 business days (responding to the needs notated in the referral). The SPC can connect a Veteran in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care with additional resources (medical or mental health) or help initiate the process for a non-VHA-using Veteran to potentially get connected to VHA services.

What steps does the Veterans Crisis Line take in order to create a safe and respectful environment for Veterans to share their struggles?

The Veterans Crisis Line is committed to providing 24/7, world-class suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to Veterans, service members, and their family members. The Veterans Crisis Line has a comprehensive training and quality assurance program with classroom training, on-the-job training, supervisor verification, and ongoing call monitoring for quality assurance to evaluate, coach, and continually improve service. New employees go through over 160 hours of classroom-based instruction, with topics ranging from interventions such as motivational interviewing, reflective listening, and risk assessment.

The Veterans Crisis Line responders provide support to Veterans through empathetic and reflective listening. They engage callers in a three-step mitigation plan and help determine level of need and acuity of the Veteran. Responders engage in a collaborative approach with the Veteran to promote self-determination.

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