988 Suicide Hotline struggles to meet demand

CNN– The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline which millions of people turn to for support is struggling to keep up with demand.

Experts say that’s a concern this time of the year as the holidays can also spark mental and emotional crises.

The hotline launched in July of 2022.

Since then it’s gotten two and a half million calls and it’s expected to receive six and a half million by the end of the year.

But the hotline is still not functioning at full capacity.

Experts say the problem comes down to the absence of mental health resources, a lack of awareness, and not enough stable funding.