New data shows Colorado fails to answer nearly a quarter of calls to the 988 suicide hotline

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Those experiencing suicidal thoughts may not be getting the help they need after a new study on the suicide hotline suggests Colorado failed to answer nearly a quarter of all calls during a two-month span this year.

Last year, the national suicide hotline changed to a single three-digit emergency number — 988. Since that change, the hotline has received more than 5 million contacts nationwide, including calls, texts, and chats.

However, not everyone who reaches out is helped, according to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Data from the study shows in May 2022, 70% of all communication with the hotline was answered. That number significantly improved to 93% in May 2023. The same can’t be said for the state-by-state statistics.

Colorado has the 13th worst answering rate in the country. This is based on data taken between April and May 2023. More than 11,000 calls were received but only 78.2% were answered. Nearly a quarter of all calls that aren’t answered are redirected to out-of-state facilities that may not know the local resources to help someone in a mental health crisis.

Our Denver news partners spoke with the program manager with Colorado 988.

“When someone has the courage to reach out for help, it is our responsibility to answer that,” Kelly Bowman told 9News.

Bowman disputes the data and said the state’s answering rate was approved along with the national numbers.

“We went from 59% in June of 2022 and we were at 94% June of 2023,” Bowman said.

“We were discouraged to see those numbers come out, but what we learn from that is let's spend more time having conversations to figure out why these numbers aren't matching,” she said.

Another concern with the 988 program is that calls are routed to centers based on the callers' area code. Because Colorado has a lot of people living here from other states, they are likely routed to a center where they don’t live anymore.

Bowman said another challenge is hiring and keeping staff to answer these calls.

“988 is hope,” she said. “988 is someone you can talk to in a moment of need. And we're going to respond and we're going to answer.”