Advocates tell lawmakers 988 is saving lives but needs stable funding and full continuum to work
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Summary
Advocates, peers and providers told the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee that New Jersey’s 988 lifeline has expanded access and resolved many crises by phone, but the crisis continuum needs sustainable funding for call centers, mobile crisis outreach response teams (MCORTs) and crisis stabilization centers to function as intended.
Advocates and providers told the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee that the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline has improved access but requires stable funding and an operational continuum of care to meet rising demand.
Christy Schweigart, advocacy co‑chair for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s New Jersey chapter and a volunteer 988 crisis counselor, described calling the predecessor lifeline during a suicidal crisis about a decade ago and credited the service with connecting her to resources that "saved my life." She and other witnesses urged dedicated, recurring funding to support 24/7 call centers, mobile crisis outreach response teams and crisis receiving and stabilization centers so callers do not default to police or emergency departments.
Lisa Lawson of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies summarized recent performance data and gaps: "New Jersey averaged an 82% in‑state answer rate in 2025 with an 85% in‑state answer rate reported as of January 2026," she told the committee, and added that crisis stabilization centers are not yet fully operational or funded. Lawson and other witnesses noted that, as of May 2024, the system had 8,385 routed calls with 6,141 answered and estimated that roughly 14% of answered calls would need mobile outreach, while a smaller share would require crisis‑facility escalation.
Advocates pressed the committee to consider a sustainable revenue source. Several witnesses referenced Senate Bill 3013, which would create a proposed 40‑cent monthly telecom fee per phone line to fund the crisis continuum; witnesses said that fee has been used in other states and could provide stability beyond annual line‑item appropriations. Matt Camarda of NAMI New Jersey warned that increased call volume—NAMI cited calls nearly doubling from 53,000 in 2022 to more than 104,000 in 2025—means the state risks losing progress unless the continuum is funded.
Committee members asked detailed operational questions about how 988 routes calls, how geo‑routing protects privacy, how mobile teams are dispatched and what happens when a caller disconnects. Witnesses described geo‑routing (not exact location like 911), a voluntary MCORT dispatch process that typically requires caller cooperation to confirm location, and protocols by which a referral is reviewed and an MCORT can arrive within about an hour when appropriate.
Several witnesses emphasized equity and cultural competency concerns; they said some populations remain hesitant to call because of fears about law enforcement or lack of culturally appropriate responders, and they urged language access and peer‑led response options.
What happens next: Witnesses asked the Legislature to adopt stable funding and guardrails to preserve the purpose of any telecom fee for 988 so that it directly supports call centers, mobile crisis response and crisis stabilization rather than being diverted to unrelated outpatient services. The committee closed the hearing with plans for follow‑up questions and possible staff briefings.
