The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is transitioning to its new 988 call number in July, but there are concerns that funding might not meet the expected increased demand, according to a March 13 article from The New York Times.
5 things to know:
1.The shift from an 800 number to a three-digit 988 one is expected to exponentially increase the use of the 24-hour hotline.
2. The hotline's central operations are historically underwritten by the federal government. It received $24 million in 2021, but call centers can cost millions of dollars a year to staff. Each of the nearly 200 call centers gets an annual federal stipend between $2,500 and $5,000. They also receive occasional larger grants, but are primarily on their own to source funding for staff, relying both on paid counselors and volunteers. Most centers receive little or no money from states.
3. The law establishing a 988 number gives states the option to raise money with a monthly fee on phone bills, just as they do for 911 emergency numbers. The 911 fee raises about $3 billion annually. Some state lawmakers are hesitant to add what they see as a new tax. Others see the 988 hotline as replicating other resources.
4. Some states have few, at times even no, call centers. Calls are routed to national backup centers when local centers cannot pick up. National center counselors are less likely to know local resources, and wait times are longer.
5. New federal grants are allowing call centers to hire more counselors, but a nationwide worker shortage has hindered those efforts.