(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) In this episode, changes to the 988 Suicide Heartline Service. Welcome to the Anxiety Road podcast. This is the unrelenting journey finding treatment options and resources for people that have anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias too. This podcast is treatment agnostic. My name is Gena Haskett. For my international listeners, this is going to be a very U.S.-specific episode.
You might have heard that there have been a bunch of changes in the delivery and funding of health care in the United States. There are active acts of removing access to some mental health services. If you're new here, this is the podcast that looks at medical behavioral health, meditation, relaxation, and X equals the unknown resources for those of us that have an
anxiety disorder or a mental health condition. This is a mental health podcast. I talk mainly about anxiety issues, but I also look at access to treatment or mental health support. When support is removed from a specific population, I have to talk about it. So let's get into the facts. The National 988 Suicide Hotline is in reality connected to local
or state call centers. When a person dials a call center, the call is routed to their local area, or if that call center is very busy, it will be moved over to the next available center. So there is an infrastructure of funding, technology, and the people that answer the call, text, or chat. A chunk of that funding comes from the federal government. The Department of Health and Human Services has cut billions of dollars in health care funding.
One of the services affected included support for the LGBTQ plus section of the Suicide Hotline. There's no longer an option three for those people that need access to services tailored to their specific needs, life experiences, and concerns. When funding is removed, it not only removes the money, the jobs, people with institutional memory, and resources. The existing 988 system is still operational, but when you remove funding and staff,
the whole system can suffer. In addition to trying to eliminate recognition to a group of people that actually exist, there is a lot of historical documentation that this never goes well. To repeat, the 988 Suicide Hotline system is still functioning, it's still active, but due to demand, there are not enough operators that may be able to assist in the routine calls.
And those folks that remain, although they would probably be sensitive and they're trying to make sure that they are saying the right things, they wouldn't necessarily have the background and experience of some of the other folks who are answering the calls, who are experienced with this particular aspect of life in the United States as a queer person. However, there are other support lines, and I do want to share information on how to access them,
because it's not just the gay folk, it's veterans too. But let's start with the Trevor Project. This organization provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ plus youth through the phone line, text, and online chat. This is a 24-7 service. They also provide peer support and an online community. The Veterans Crisis Line. Now, veterans or their family members, or those who are affiliated with a veteran who needs to access support,
they still can access it. These lines are also available for those folks who are serving overseas. However, you probably should visit the Veteran Crisis Line website to find the current status, if the veteran line is still operational, and what the process is for international calling. For example, if you're stationed in Africa or Europe or South America, there are specific phone numbers and text lines that you would need in order to access the service.
And there is the National Crisis Text Line. This is also a free confidential support type of line, 24-7, and this particular service operates independently of the 988 phone number, and users can text, chat, and they can even use WhatsApp as a means of contact. On the website, there are links to other services for people who live in Canada,
the United Kingdom, and Ireland. So the 988 suicide hotline still exists. And depending on where you live, if your state actively funds the call center, you shouldn't have any problem. If you live in a state that has cut the mental health budget to the bones, you may have some issues. It might take a little longer for a call to be handled, but you hang in there, and you wait for someone to answer the phone. So that's all I have for you today,
and I will catch you next time on the Anxiety Road. You can visit anxietyroadpodcast.com for links and other information and resources. You can listen, download, or subscribe to the podcast via any of the free podcasting apps. You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Ganna, Pandora, or on the web at listennotes.com. Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare
provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder. This podcast is intended for information and educational purposes only, and nothing in the program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric, or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.