GAO report finds federal mental-health hotlines maintain service despite staff cuts

A Government Accountability Office assessment released on Aug. 6 indicates that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Veterans Crisis Line and National Maternal Mental Health Hotline each recorded increased calls, texts and chats in fiscal 2025 versus fiscal 2024, yet their key performance indicators stayed largely unchanged. Answer rates for calls and texts remained within historic ranges—89 % to 99 % for the Veterans line and 92 % to 95 % for the maternal hotline—and the majority of contacts were answered in under 30 seconds.

The overseeing agencies, Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs, trimmed staff under 2025 reductions in force; the 988 coordinating office fell from 24 to 18 employees and has not been backfilled, while the Veterans line’s workforce slipped to 1,149. A May 2026 JAMA survey cited in the report found most 988 centers feel understaffed and face hiring challenges. Oversight staff for the maternal hotline also decreased, with four of six full-time positions vacant and other program staff covering duties. The GAO did not evaluate staffing changes at the contractor that runs the maternal hotline.