988 Service Data | 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline

Call or Text 9-8-8

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*Data from November 30, 2023 – September 30, 2024. Excludes calls and texts routed to Quebec.

9-8-8 has answered

285,413

calls and texts to date

9-8-8 monthly data release

Scroll down to see the most recent available data by month – or select an option from the drop-down menu on the right to see data from previous months. Average wait times and average conversation lengths are based on data provided by 33 out of 38 9-8-8 partners. Answer rate is based on data provided by 37 out of 38 partners. Please see the FAQ section at the bottom of the page for more information about how we got these data and how we will use them.

Overview

9-8-8 received

35,883

calls and texts

Answer Rate

93%

*see FAQ below

Average wait time

1 minutes,
11 seconds

Calls

Total calls:

21,208

Average wait time

43 seconds

Average length of call:

16 minutes,
4 seconds

SMS

Total SMS:

14,675

Average wait time

1 minutes, 50 seconds

Average length of conversation:

34 minutes, 10 seconds

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to the people who end their call before getting through to a responder?

Sometimes, a call to 9-8-8 will end before the person gets through to a responder. There are a number of possible reasons for this. For example, it could be because of a technical issue or an issue with the person’s phone service, because they change their mind about wanting to talk to us at that time, or because they decide they don’t want to wait.

Average wait times for calls are low, and we are doing everything we can to keep them this way. We are sharing information on social media and through other channels about what people can expect when they call us. We hope this will help address any barriers or concerns that might cause people to change their mind about talking to us.

Why don’t some of these numbers add up?

We review 9-8-8 data before making certain calculations, and remove any spam calls or texts, or calls or texts that are routed to us in error. These calls and texts are included in the total incoming call and text numbers, but you won’t see them in other figures, such as the number of calls and texts that are answered/not answered. This is why, if you add up these numbers, you will get a different number to the total number of calls/text.

Why are you only sharing these few data points? What about data broken down by province and territory?

We want to make sure that the information we are providing is clear, meaningful and as accurate as possible. Since we are in the early days of the implementation of 9-8-8 we are still learning more about how data are collected and shared in different provinces and territories and how to make sure we’re sharing the most accurate information possible.

As we learn more, we will be adding more data to this page.

How will this data – and other data – be used to inform program improvement and quality?

Right now, we are looking at things like:

Number of calls and texts answered and wait times, to make sure we have enough responders available, especially at times when there are higher volumes.
Any regions or populations where we might be receiving lower numbers of calls or texts, so we can make sure we are promoting the services in these regions or populations as needed.
Any key themes or trends in concerns that people may have with our responders, so we can make sure responders have the training they need to support people.

However, 9-8-8 is still very new, and we will need more data over a longer period of time to inform service improvement.

How often will you update this page?

We will publish new data up to 90 days after the end of the month. We’ll post on social media each time we add new data – or you can check this page for updates.

What counts as "received" and what counts as "answered"?

A call or text counts as "received" when the person stays on the line for the duration of the automated message that people see or hear immediately after dialing 9-8-8. This message is there to make sure that people know they have reached the right number, and to share other important information with them.

A call or text is considered "answered" when it connects to a responder.

Are these numbers final?

All data are considered final at the time of posting. However, we sometimes refine our data processes to ensure we are providing the public with the most accurate numbers possible. This means that we occasionally need to adjust the numbers retroactively. When this happens, you might notice a very slight change.