It has been nearly three years since the launch of the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and since then, millions seeking help have used the call center as a life-saving resource. But understaffing and underfunding threaten to upend the hotline’s mission.
The nation’s 988 hotline works like 911, bringing critical access to care for those battling mental health emergencies. Counselor Alejandra takes calls at the nation’s largest suicide prevention center — Los Angeles’ Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. That one center receives 20,000 calls and texts a month.
Alejandra said they became a counselor because they have “personal experience with suicidal thoughts.”
As a teen, Alejandra was diagnosed with cancer, causing them to spiral into despair.
“I know what it’s like to go through this, or not feel comfortable reaching out,” Alejandra told CBS News.
“When someone calls prevention, they’re already breaking through a lot of barriers and a lot of stigma,” Alejandra said. “So there is vulnerability and courage in those first few of moments. I breathe deeply because those are the moments where you show someone, ‘I’m glad you called.'”
Nationwide, calls increased 40% soon after the three-digit number was officially launched in 2022.
“Since 2022, 12 million people have contacted 988 for help. So what that tells us is that people want the help,” said Didi Hirsch CEO Lyn Morris, noting that these calls are oftentimes literal life or death situations.
“We have dealt with people calling our line who have either taken measures to end their life or are sitting at home with a gun in their lap,” she said.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association outlines that, while calls have gone up, access to care after those initial calls has not increased. The study’s authors are pushing for more awareness and funding to make 988 more effective for those in need.
“We want them to have a full crisis continuum of care,” Morris said. “We need more resources, we need more therapists, we need technology. We want to be able to answer those calls in the most efficient way possible.”
One in four adults in the U.S. lives with a diagnosable mental illness, according to the National Institutes of Health. But many more could be struggling without a diagnosis, and the numbers are expected to go up.
Meanwhile, public health services nationwide could face further federal cuts.
More than 10% of the staff working for the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, which oversees the 988 hotline, were fired last month amid cuts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. One SAMHSA employee said about a quarter of the agency’s communication team, who work to raise awareness about the hotline, were let go.
“The ultimate goal is for all Americans to have access to crisis care for mental health and substance use issues, in the way that 911 provides rapid response for physical health emergencies,” SAMHSA told CBS News in a statement. “The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is working diligently to support the development and sustainability of local treatment and support connected to 988, including the expansion of mobile crisis services and 24/7 walk-in crisis care clinics across the country. Transformation of this scale and building a cohesive crisis care system takes time, and there is more work needed to be able to deliver these critical services to the American public.”
Morris said additional cuts could lead to “a very dire situation.”
“If there was any funding cut to 988 or other mental health services, there would be more hospitalizations, more death, and more mental health issues,” she said.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
contributed to this report.
