Lines for Life

What Lines for Life does

Lines for Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that operates as the state's designated home for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The organization provides free, confidential 24/7 mental health crisis support across nine specialized helplines: the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, YouthLine (peer-to-peer support for ages 10–24), Alcohol & Drug Help Line, Construction CareLine, Senior Loneliness Line, Military Helpline, Racial Equity Support Line, Behavioral Health Support Line, and Oregon Hopeline. Services are delivered via phone, text, and chat, and are supplemented by evidence-based training programs (QPR, ASIST, safeTALK, MCASP), postvention services, and policy advocacy.

The organization's core technology combines human Crisis Intervention Specialists with AI-assisted response capabilities, branded internally as "AI-Enhanced Crisis Response." Lines for Life maintains a staff of over 200 professionals as of 2023 and operates through a community-led go-to-market model that partners with tribal organizations (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board), cultural groups (Raíces de Bienestar), the construction industry (Construction Suicide Prevention Partnership with eight general contractors representing $75B+ in annual revenue), and corporate funders (Boeing, Kaiser Permanente). Geographic operations span Oregon as the primary market, with satellite centers at Warm Springs and expansion into Hawai'i via YouthLine Hawai'i serving Maui, Moloka'i, and Lāna'i.

The revenue model is donations- and grants-driven rather than transactional: all services are free to end users. Funding streams comprise individual and corporate donations (including proceeds from the annual UnGala farm-to-table dinner series and Always Hope Gala), government grants and contracts (notably for 988 Lifeline operations), and major corporate gifts. The organization reports no revenue figures publicly and operates without venture capital, private equity, or public ownership. Quantified outcomes cited include approximately 25,000 youth served annually through YouthLine and an 11% reduction in U.S. youth suicide deaths following the 988 launch (per a JAMA study, representing 4,372 fewer projected deaths).

Name

Lines for Life

Legal name

Lines for Life

Website

https://linesforlife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lines for Life is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that operates as Oregon's designated home for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, delivering free 24/7 crisis support across nine specialized helplines serving youth, seniors, military, construction workers, and BIPOC communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crisis intervention and mental health helpline services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Crisis Support, Suicide Prevention & Acute Behavioral Triage Platforms (HLALAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination) (HLAEAHAK), Suicide Prevention, Self-Harm Prevention & Threat Assessment Programs (EDAKAMAI)

Keywords

• Crisis intervention services
• Suicide prevention helplines
• Mental health support
• Substance abuse prevention
• Community skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual and corporate donations through events such as the annual UnGala and Always Hope Gala fundraising events.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Funding from federal and state government sources including grants for specific programs such as 988 operations and military support training.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Major gifts from corporations such as Boeing's $60,000 gift for Military Cultural Awareness and Suicide Prevention (MCASP) training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lines for Life operates Oregon's designated home for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, providing free, confidential mental health and crisis support 24/7 via phone, text, and chat. The portfolio includes specialized helplines for youth (YouthLine), alcohol and drug use, construction workers, seniors, military/veterans, BIPOC communities, and Oregon residents, complemented by evidence-based suicide prevention training (QPR, ASIST, safeTALK, MCASP) and postvention rapid response services.

Product overview

Lines for Life is a nonprofit organization operating as Oregon's home for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, offering a portfolio of crisis hotline services and mental health programs. The core offering consists of multiple specialized helplines including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, YouthLine (peer-to-peer support for youth), Alcohol & Drug Help Line, Construction CareLine, Senior Loneliness Line, Behavioral Health Support Line, Racial Equity Support Line, Military Helpline, and Oregon Hopeline. The organization complements its crisis services with training programs including QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), safeTALK, and MCASP (Military Cultural Awareness and Suicide Prevention) training. Specialty programs include YouthLine Hawai'i serving Maui, Moloka'i, and Lāna'i, YouthLine Native providing culturally responsive support for Oregon's Native communities, and the Suicide Rapid Response Program for postvention support. Services are delivered via phone, text, chat, and in-person training, operating 24/7 for most crisis lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YouthLine: A free peer-to-peer help, support, and crisis line for youth up to age 24, operated by Lines for Life serving approximately 25,000 young people each year nationally.
• YouthLine Hawai'i
• Senior Loneliness Line
• Military Helpline
• Construction CareLine
• Alcohol & Drug Help Line
• Racial Equity Support Line
• Behavioral Health Support Line
• Oregon Hopeline
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Products and services

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Oregon's home for the national three-digit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, providing free, confidential mental health support 24/7 via phone, text, or chat for individuals in crisis.
• YouthLine A free peer-to-peer help, support, and crisis line for youth up to age 24, operated by trained teen volunteers who provide confidential emotional support and crisis intervention, serving approximately 25,000 young people each year nationally.
• Alcohol & Drug Help Line A helpline providing referrals for treatment and counseling services, helping individuals access providers that match their needs, and assisting with waiving citation fines for small amounts of drugs in Oregon.
• Construction CareLine A specialized crisis line for Oregon construction workers addressing the construction industry's elevated suicide rate (six times higher than other industries), providing mental health support tailored to this population.
• Senior Loneliness Line A support line providing emotional support and connection for older adults experiencing loneliness and isolation.
• Military Helpline A dedicated helpline for Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF) providing culturally informed mental health and crisis support services.
• Oregon Hopeline A state-specific crisis line providing immediate emotional support and mental health resources for Oregon residents.
• Behavioral Health Support Line A support line providing assistance for individuals seeking behavioral health resources and support beyond the immediate crisis context.
• Racial Equity Support Line A support line providing emotional support and resources specifically for individuals impacted by racism, offering culturally responsive assistance.
• YouthLine Hawai'i A youth-to-youth crisis line serving young people ages 10 to 24 on Maui, Moloka'i, and Lāna'i, part of the YouthLine peer crisis service.
• YouthLine Native Culturally responsive support services bringing mental health resources to Oregon's Native communities through partnership with tribal organizations, including a satellite call center at the Warm Springs reservation.
• QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Training A 90-minute evidence-based suicide prevention curriculum teaching individuals to recognize someone at risk, intervene with confidence and competence, and refer them to appropriate resources.
• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) A 16-hour intensive, interactive workshop providing participants with skills and practice for suicide intervention, including 12.0 NASW continuing education credits for Social Workers and Licensed Professional Counselors.
• safeTALK A 3.5-hour training program teaching participants to identify people with thoughts of suicide, confirm these thoughts are present, and connect them to resources.
• MCASP (Military Cultural Awareness and Suicide Prevention) Training Training program equipping healthcare providers, behavioral health professionals, educators, families, and community members with culturally informed tools to serve veterans, service members, and military families.
• Suicide Rapid Response Program Postvention services providing rapid response support following suicide deaths in communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 988 launch associated with 11% reduction in youth suicide deaths, approximately 4,372 fewer U.S. teens and young adults died by suicide than projected
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to bring culturally responsive mental health support to Oregon's Native communities through YouthLine Native. NPAIHB creates videos and provides leadership and feedback for programs serving tribal communities. Together they work on suicide prevention and mental health promotion in Native American communities.
• Raíces de BienestarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership dedicated to promoting mental health and wellness among Oregon's Latine communities. Reflects Lines for Life's commitment to community-based partnerships essential to building a behavioral health system serving everyone.
• Confederated Tribes of Warm SpringscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated satellite YouthLine call center on the Warm Springs reservation in Central Oregon. Partnership goals include destigmatizing mental health discussions, increasing help-seeking behavior, and providing culturally responsive support through tribal elders and community programs.
• Construction Industry Partners (CSPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction Suicide Prevention Partnership (CSPP) bringing together construction companies, labor organizations, insurance companies, and government partners to form comprehensive plan for suicide prevention and mental health in the construction industry. Eight leading general contractors representing over $75 billion in annual revenue have joined this initiative.
• Kingdom Kuts BarbershopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local Portland barbershop to host community conversations about mental health in Black and Brown communities. Barbershops serve as trusted community spaces for mental health support outreach.
• American Association of Suicidology (AAS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAS, the accrediting agency for 988, held their 2023 annual conference at Lines for Life headquarters. The conference is the largest gathering of behavioral health organizations, clinicians, and suicide prevention professionals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Crisis Text Line: National nonprofit providing 24/7 text-based crisis intervention via trained volunteer counselors. Direct competitor to YouthLine and Lines for Life's text/chat channels, serving overlapping at-risk youth and general crisis populations through similar human-counselor technology stack.
• The Trevor Project: National nonprofit operating TrevorLifeline, TrevorChat, and TrevorText for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis. Direct peer in the youth crisis intervention category with comparable peer-counselor model, federal funding, and outcome-based advocacy focus.
• Vibrant Emotional Health: Administrator of the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline backbone and former Lifeline administrator based in New York. Most directly comparable operational peer to Lines for Life as a 988-designated crisis call center operator at scale.
• Boystown National Hotline: Long-running 24/7 crisis, support, and referral hotline serving youth and families nationwide. Comparable as a multi-channel crisis intervention provider with similar volunteer/counselor model and youth-specialized service positioning.
• Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services: Los Angeles-based nonprofit operating suicide prevention crisis lines and serving as a 988 backup center. Closest peer to Lines for Life as a regional nonprofit crisis line operator with suicide prevention centers, survivor support, and specialized high-risk population programming.

Broad incumbents

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: National largest suicide prevention nonprofit focused on research, education, advocacy, and survivor support rather than direct crisis line operations. Broadly comparable on the suicide prevention mission and donor base, though their model is upstream of Lines for Life's direct service delivery.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Largest US grassroots mental health organization with helpline (NAMI HelpLine), support groups, and training programs. Broadly comparable as a mental health advocacy and support provider with federal/state funding, despite operating at much larger national scale.

Emerging players

• JED Foundation: Nonprofit focused on protecting emotional health and preventing suicide among college and high school students via program partnerships with schools. Comparable on youth mental health curriculum and prevention training like Lines for Life's ASIST and QPR offerings.
• Trans Lifeline: Peer-run hotline by and for transgender people, providing direct crisis intervention analogous to Lines for Life's specialized culturally responsive lines (Racial Equity Support Line, YouthLine Native). Comparable as a niche crisis provider addressing underserved identity-based populations.

Others

• Behavioral Health Link / RI International: Behavioral health crisis services operator running crisis call centers, mobile crisis response, and Psychiatric Acute Crisis Triage units. Comparable as ecosystem participant building crisis infrastructure parallel to Lines for Life's hotline operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Lines_for_Life
• Facebookfacebook.com/LinesForLife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/linesforlife
• Instagraminstagram.com/wearelinesforlife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lines for Life