Understanding how people use the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and what they plan to do next
Official title: Experiences Using and Intentions to Use the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Among Distressed Adults
Funded at New York University · NIH-11435344 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how distressed adults experience the 988 Lifeline and what they expect or intend to do after contacting it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | September 2, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,360,646 |
| NIH project number | 1RF1MH145180-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11435344 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older who have used 988 or who have serious psychological distress.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not experiencing crisis or distress or who do not interact with 988 may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers at New York University will analyze how adults with serious distress use the 988 Lifeline, what their experiences are like, and how knowledge and intentions about 988 differ across groups. The study uses population-based samples to identify factors linked to positive or negative experiences, as well as segments with varying knowledge and intentions. It will also examine how state-level factors relate to experiences and plans for using 988 in the future over a four-year period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of what helps or hinders people from using 988 could lead to improvements in crisis care and outreach.
How similar studies have gone: Previous pilot work suggested notable variation in experiences and intentions, indicating this larger study could clarify and extend those findings.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Purtle, Jonathan — New York University
- Study coordinator: Purtle, Jonathan
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.