988-explained

As you may know, the US enacted a Crisis Hotline throughout the country in 2020. This has been rolled out in every state as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Delaware utilizes two key emergency response systems: the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and an Enhanced 911 (E911) system. Both are crucial for providing help in different types of emergencies. 988 is a national, confidential lifeline for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, emotional distress, or considering self-harm or suicide. You can reach the 988 lifeline by calling or texting 988 from any wired or wireless phone in the U.S. Both systems collect a fee for the service which is passed along to the agency responsible for administering service. The fees are collected by all telephone service providers and sent each month to the appropriate state agency. Up until the present time, we have collected the 911 surcharge of $0.60 per line from all Delaware clients but we have paid the 988 surcharge without passing along the fee to our clients. Beginning Early in 2026, we will begin passing along the 988 surcharge just as we do with the 911 surcharge. The surcharge varies from state to state with some states charging more or less than others. The state of Delaware calculates 988 charges as follows: $0.60 per line. In a VoIP system, this works out the same as your current 911 fees. To see how this affects your business, look at the 911 surcharge on any recent invoice. Your 988 surcharge will be the same. In Voice over Internet Protocol systems such as yours, every extension is considered by the state to be an outgoing line. If your business has two extensions, your 988 surcharge will be $1.20. If your business has 10 extensions, your 988 surcharge will be $6.00 each month. Nobody likes price increases and our promise to you is that your base costs will remain the same. It is only the local,State, Federal taxes and fees which will change anytime we are alerted to those changes. You will soon begin seeing the 988 charges on your invoices..