When Crisis Calls Go Unanswered - Takeaways - MDSpire

When Crisis Calls Go Unanswered

Behind the promise of 988, response breakdowns reveal risks for patients in acute distress.

  • By

  • Andy Miller

  • January 28, 2026

  • 8 min

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  • 1

    Kaitlin Cooke credits the Georgia Crisis and Access Line with saving her life during a suicidal crisis in 2018.

  • 2

    Georgia's 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has faced significant call abandonment rates, rising from 3% to 18% due to staffing issues.

  • 3

    The state has contracted Carelon Behavioral Health to manage its crisis lines, which has struggled with performance after changing subcontractors.

  • 4

    Nationally, Georgia ranks low in the percentage of crisis calls answered locally, with many calls routed to national backup centers.

  • 5

    Over 49,000 Americans died by suicide in 2023, highlighting the urgent need for effective mental health crisis response services.

Original Source(s)

When Crisis Calls Go Unanswered

  • by Andy Miller

  • January 28, 2026

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