When calling for help isn't enough: The VA suicide hotline crisis

PREVIEW: In 2024, Veteran Affairs experienced a dozen service outages due to technical problems for its suicide hotline. According to the VA, "More than 675 people were affected by dropped calls, texts, and chats" (Hersey, 2024). If you or someone you know might need the veteran crisis number, dial 988 and press 1; you can also text 988 for help. "When this service is not functioning properly, veterans experiencing a mental health crisis are at an increased risk for harm that could be mitigated by a veteran crisis line responder" (Hersey, 2024). It is important to note that the crisis hotline can be used for many purposes, which I will discuss below.