988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Awareness

The Maryland State Ad Agency (MSAA) designed and launched an advertising campaign for the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to raise awareness of the new 988 crisis lifeline number that was launched nationwide in July 2022. MSAA’s campaign is the first of its kind in the nation. Dialing the 988 lifeline number connects callers directly to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline which offers resources for all behavioral health crisis services, which includes all mental health and substance use issues (specifically problems with drug and alcohol use). MSAA partnered with the creative production company The Hatcher Group based in Bethesda, MD, to bring attention to the hotline.

According to national data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), calls answered to the 988 line increased by 45% in May 2023 compared with calls in May 2022 before the 988 lifeline campaign launched. Online chats between users and staffers increased 52% from May 2022 to May 2023. But the largest percentage increase in the public’s reaching out to the crisis line came in the form of text messages. From May 2022 through May 2023, the percentage of texts increased by 938%, according to SAMHSA data.

The target demographic for the campaign was persons aged 16 - 49 years of age, with males at 70% and females 30%. The campaign included broadcast TV, cable TV, public TV, radio, audio streaming services, social media, digital media and geo-targeted mobile media in Maryland.

Mental health crises affect our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances. We believe the MSAA-produced spot resonated with the target demographics and the results exceeded our goals. Helping to get more people engaged with 988 provides relief to the 911 system and helps direct people suffering from behavioral health crises directly to the right resources.