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Kansas officials report growth in 988 lifeline use, flag staffing and routing gaps
Summary
Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services told the House Health and Human Services Committee that 988 contacts have increased since launch, but in‑state answer rates, staffing and follow‑up capacity remain areas for improvement; the state’s coordinating council recommended making 988 fund dollars roll over into future years.
Drew Adkins of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) told the Committee on House Health and Human Services on Jan. 28 that Kansas has expanded its 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline operations since the dialing code launched nationally in July 2022 and that the state is answering most in‑state contacts but still relies on national backup when local centers cannot take calls.
KDADS told the committee that 988 is a free, national dialing code that connects callers to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; in Kansas calls, texts and chats are answered through five centers: Wyandotte Behavioral Health Network, Johnson County Mental Health Center, Comcare (Sedgwick County), Headquarters Kansas (covering the balance of state) and a national backup operated by HealthSource Integrated Solutions. "988 is the dialing code to connect to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline," Adkins said during his presentation.
The presentation included state metrics and national context: nationwide the lifeline has handled more than 14.6 million texts, calls and chats since implementation. KDADS reported roughly 47,000 originating in‑state calls, about 37,000…
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