New Georouting Feature for 988 Crisis Lifeline Announced, Calls Remain Confidential

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) is excited to share a major enhancement to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline that will further improve access to mental health services. As of September 17, georouting is officially live for T-Mobile and Verizon U.S. wireless carriers. This new feature allows calls from help-seekers with these carriers to be routed to the crisis center nearest to their general physical location, rather than based on their phone number’s area code.

The georouting feature ensures that individuals in crisis can connect with the most appropriate, local resources, regardless of whether their phone number is tied to a different region. This is particularly beneficial for people who may have moved, are traveling, or are using a phone number from another state. AT&T is also working to implement georouting soon, further expanding the lifeline’s ability to deliver localized support efficiently.

Despite the advancements in call routing, caller privacy remains a top priority. It is important to emphasize that the 988 Crisis Lifeline does not track, store, or save exact location data of callers. The georouting system uses general location information to connect callers to the nearest crisis center, but it does so without retaining or recording any identifying location details. Individuals can rest assured that when they reach out for help, their personal information and exact whereabouts are not tracked or stored in any database.

“We are thrilled about this new georouting feature, which represents a significant step forward in providing timely and localized support to those in crisis,” said Wendy Bailey, DMH Executive Director. “At the same time, we want to stress that the 988 lifeline prioritizes caller privacy and security. No personal location information is tracked, saved, or shared. When you call 988, you’re reaching a trained crisis counselor on a confidential call.”

The 988 Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 and connects callers with trained counselors who can offer support for mental health crises, substance use, and thoughts of suicide. The new georouting feature will enhance the lifeline’s ability to provide more accurate connections to local resources while maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality.

For more information on the 988 Crisis Lifeline or mental health resources in Mississippi, please visit www.mentalhealthms.com or contact the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.