The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the    Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) national network. Veterans can currently reach VCL by calling the 10-digit Lifeline phone number, (1-800-273-8255), and then press 1 to be connected to responders trained to understand the unique needs and challenges of Veterans.

The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, signed into law in 2020, authorized 988 as the new three-digit number for the Lifeline. Because of VA's partnership with the Lifeline, VCL is affected by this transition to a new number.