Texas Crisis Hotline Struggling With Funding Issues

The Texas 988 suicide hotline is grappling with a dire funding shortfall, leading to thousands of abandoned calls.

At a Glance

Texas 988 hotline faces a $7 million funding deficit, critical for managing mental health emergencies.
Thousands of calls have reportedly been abandoned due to increased demand and limited resources.
Texas ranks second in call volume nationwide, with severe shortfalls in funding and staffing.
Upcoming legislation seeks to establish stable funding through Senate Bill 188.

Funding Challenges and Call Abandonment

The Texas branch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is facing a $7 million funding shortfall, severely impacting its ability to manage escalating mental health emergencies. Inadequate funding has led to thousands of calls being abandoned monthly. Texas, with the second-highest call volume in the United States, is hindered by limited resources, with only five service centers.

Funding remains a challenge, with Texas receiving only $14 million of the $21 million needed for fiscal year 2024. Jennifer Battle from the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD expresses concerns over this shortfall. “We’re doing way more work than we’ve ever been able to do. If you want us actually to meet the volume of Texas, then somebody’s got to decide to increase the resources that are made available to centers so that we can increase the number of people we serve.”

Amid a $7 million deficit to Texas’ suicide hotline, thousands of calls are abandoned monthly https://t.co/nRxg1jkAzs

— Texas Business (@TexBusiness) January 7, 2025

State Assistance and Legislative Action

Texas has five call centers, each counselor managing approximately 95 calls monthly. Federal funding for the hotline is depleting, with states encouraged to subsidize costs. A proposed trust fund, supported by a cellphone bill surcharge, aims to expand capacity and enhance technology. The Texas Medical Association has emphasized the need for state and local government support: “While more than $1 billion in federal funds helped launch the 988 number, local call centers must secure support from state and local governments to keep it going.”

A significant legislative focus in the upcoming session will be establishing stable funding for the hotline. Senate Bill 188 proposes creating a state trust fund for this purpose. With Senate Bill 188 and proposed fees, Texas aims to align funding with emergency services like 911, ensuring parity in crisis intervention.

In the upcoming #txlege session that begins Jan. 14, Sen. José Menéndez, D-SATX, has filed #SB188, which would create a more reliable & robust funding source for the 988 hotline- a state trust fund, similar to how 911 is helped funded.https://t.co/6lbXbnR7k5 @TexasTribune 🧵

— José Menéndez (@Menendez4Texas) January 6, 2025

Necessity for Immediate Support

Crisis centers across Texas are working under high stress and turnover rates. Efforts are ongoing to support counselors’ well-being, but many feel overwhelmed by the current demands. Key legislative proposals, such as the inclusion of Medicaid to cover crisis intervention, remain unaddressed.

Jennifer Battle notes, “The state wants us to meet all these targets, and absolutely, we want to do that. But ultimately, if you’re only funding half of what we need to make it happen, we are still over-performing for what we’ve been provided.” The necessity for increased funding and resources is critical to ensure that no call for help goes unanswered.