Washington DOC Introduces 988 Crisis Line Access Across State Prisons

• Washington state prisons now allow incarcerated individuals to dial 988 from facility phones and tablets, according to the Washington State Department of Corrections.
• The Washington State Department of Corrections and Department of Health say the change is intended to add intermittent support and strengthen existing facility mental health services.
• 988 counselors will follow protocols to contact a facility if a caller is in crisis or at imminent risk of self-harm or harming others, the agencies said.
• DOC and DOH conducted simulation exercises with crisis centers before the statewide launch and will monitor call volumes and staffing capacity.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington has become the first state to make the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline available across all state prisons, allowing people in custody to dial 988 from phones and tablets at every facility, the Washington State Department of Corrections announced in a press release this month.

The Department of Corrections (DOC) said it implemented the access in partnership with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) as an added layer within its suicide prevention framework during Mental Health Awareness Month.

DOC cited overdoses and suicides as two of the leading causes of unexpected deaths in its facilities, positioning 988 access as another option intended to support well-being for people in custody.

“Every death by suicide in one of our prisons is a tragedy. This milestone reflects our commitment to improving mental health support for incarcerated individuals and reducing suicide risk across our system,” said DOC Secretary Tim Lang.

The agencies emphasized that 988 is not designed to replace existing facility mental health services. Instead, DOC said the lifeline can be used for intermittent support alongside on-site care, and that people in custody should also connect with facility mental health staff after using 988 for ongoing help.

DOH, which oversees the 988 program in Washington, said the lifeline connects callers with trained counselors who can support people experiencing thoughts of suicide, mental health crises, emotional distress or substance use concerns.

If a caller from a prison is in a mental health crisis or at imminent risk of harming themselves or others, 988 counselors will follow a process to contact the facility to secure immediate support, DOC said.

Ahead of the statewide launch, DOC and DOH said they coordinated with 988 crisis centers and ran multiple simulation exercises to test scenarios and confirm operational readiness. The agencies said that work helped resolve logistical and communication issues before expanding access across the prison system.

“The Washington State Department of Health is proud to work in partnership with the Department of Corrections to continue to transform mental and behavioral health crisis care in Washington,” DOH Assistant Secretary for Prevention and Community Health Michele Roberts said.

DOC and DOH said they will continue monitoring call volumes from prisons to ensure crisis centers have adequate staffing capacity. The agencies also said counselors receive protocols and guidance for handling calls originating from state prisons.

“By taking action and recognizing the need for additional mental health support in prisons, DOC, DOH and 988 Lifeline crisis centers are doing important work in advancing behavioral health equity within our correctional system,” Lang said.

This article is based on information published in a press release from the Washington State Department of Corrections on May 12, 2026.