Callers keep flooding 988 mental health, suicide helpline

By AMANDA SEITZ
Associated Press

HYATTSVILLE, Md. (AP) — The 988 mental health and suicide prevention helpline has quickly expanded its reach in the six months since it launched. It has received just over 2 million calls, texts and chat messages since July. The number of centers answering calls from Spanish grew from three to seven by the end of last year. A pilot line dedicated to LGBTQ youth started taking calls in September. And plans are underway to keep the momentum going, expanding the service even further. The helpline was created with bipartisan support in Congress and just under $1 billion in federal funds.