Cooperative Agreements for States and Territories to Improve Local 988 Capacity - SAMHSA FG-26-002 Project Abstract Project Name: Maryland 988 Capacity and Access Expansion The Maryland Department of Health - Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) will strengthen its statewide 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline system by expanding workforce capacity to meet growing demand, improving referrals and follow-up, enhancing 988-911 coordination, and increasing 988 awareness. Serving all 24 Maryland jurisdictions, this project will improve timely access to crisis services for people experiencing mental health, substance use, and suicidal crises. BHA funds nine regional crisis contact centers ( centers ) that provide 24/7/365 statewide telephone coverage, four of which also provide chat and text services. Since 988's launch, Maryland's combined call, chat, and text volume has increased by 465%. In 2025, the centers responded to more than 157,000 contacts, maintaining a 92% in-state call answer rate with an average speed to answer of 22 seconds. However, chat and text demand has outpaced capacity. Although answer rates improved from 68% in December 2024 to 71% in May 2026, they remain below the 90% national benchmark. Additional capacity is needed to improve answer rates in addition to referral coordination and follow-ups. The project will strengthen crisis response statewide, particularly in rural Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore, where suicide rates exceed the state average. It will serve Marylanders of all ages experiencing behavioral health crises and prioritize improved access to services for populations disproportionately affected by suicide and overdose, including veterans, youth, rural communities, and individuals with substance use disorders. Grant activities will include workforce expansion, quality improvement, follow-up and referral coordination, 988-911 integration, cybersecurity enhancements, substance use response protocols, sustainability planning, Tribal engagement, participation in SAMHSA's National Cross-Site Evaluation, and a statewide communications campaign. To expand workforce capacity, by September 1, 2028, Maryland will add 21 full-time equivalent (FTE) call specialists, 12 FTE chat/text specialists, and 8 FTE follow-up specialists to achieve the goal of answering at least 90% of Maryland-originating calls, chats, and texts in-state. Maryland will also integrate centers into the state’s new Care Traffic Control platform to enhance and streamline referrals and follow-up care; strengthen statewide partnerships, including 988-911 coordination; implement cybersecurity improvements and substance use response protocols; and increase 988 awareness through statewide outreach. These objectives directly support SAMHSA’s strategic priorities by strengthening the behavioral health workforce, improving timely access to crisis care, enhancing system coordination, advancing suicide and overdose prevention efforts, and promoting access to high-quality behavioral health services statewide.
