SAMHSA awards 988 grants to states, territories

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the bipartisan Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, this month will award more than $130 million in 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline grants to address the nation’s ongoing mental health and substance use crises.  

“Our country is facing unprecedented mental health and substance use crises among people of all ages and backgrounds,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The significant additional funding provided by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will have a direct positive impact on strengthening the behavioral health of individuals and communities across the country.”  

Through SAMHSA, HHS awarded $47 million on Dec. 16 to states and U.S. territories to expand and enhance 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline services. HHS plans to award $21.1 million in 988 Lifeline Tribal Response Grants to improve 988 response in tribal communities, and $64.8 million to the Lifeline administrator, Vibrant Emotional Health, to manage and expand access to crisis centers; more awards are planned for early in 2023.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.