In recent news, Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” or DOGE, made many government wide cuts, resulting in the firing of over 10% of the staff for the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
This includes several federal staffers who are in charge of both the overseeing and raising awareness of the 988 suicide and crisis hotline. Employees claim a whole quarter of the staff has been lost due to the cuts, effectively maiming the helpline.
With a quarter of the staff lost, especially the staff responsible for the overseeing of the entire organization, this cut has caused great damage to this program, and lowers the possibility that someone who calls it will reach someone on the line. Over two million calls every year are received by the 988 hotline, (established in 2005), which has since served as a vital resource for suicidal Americans.
The Jed foundation, an organization devoted to addressing and helping mental health issues, reported that 10% of American teens attempted suicide in this past year, as of data from the CDC. Considering that statistic, this is perhaps the worst time possible to cut funding and staffing for the suicide hotline.
Though this may just seem like another of the many federal cuts, do not be mistaken; this represents a drastic lack of care for mental health issues, and will lead to drastic consequences. There is absolute certainty that this cut will directly result in lives being lost – lives that could’ve been saved by the hotline if fully staffed. If someone is calling the line in the first place, there is a very likely chance that their life is already endangered, and they are considering self harm, possibly suicide. Even if (hopefully) someone is unsuccessful in their attempts, they clearly need the help of the person on the other end of the line.
In a last ditch effort, they reach out to the hotline. What happens if there’s no one there to answer this call?
One’s belief in Elon and the Trump administration’s decision to make these federal funding cuts, in order to address U.S. debt, is irrelevant. The lack of staffing for the hotline will inevitably lead to some callers reaching nobody, which will have devastating effects.
This is not about the wider economic vision behind the budget cuts. It is about the damage it will cause to those Americans who need severe and urgent mental health assistance.
