HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Two years ago, when the suicide prevention hotline launched, it was called a “game-changer.”

However, 988 systems in Texas are now beginning to buckle under the weight of a multi-million dollar budget deficit.

The Texas Tribune’s mental health reporter, Stephen Simpson, joined Eyewitness News to break down what caused this deficit and the impact on health care across the state.

Most of the money comes from a federal grant but was never meant to support the system long-term.

“This was just to get the 988 systems up and running until the state stepped in to take over the funding,” Simpson said.

The state of Texas has not dedicated any funds to the suicide prevention hotline.

Texas only has five centers dedicated to answering calls for help, compared to Florida, which has 13. As a result, 20% of calls from Texans in crisis in Texas are answered by out-of-state counselors.

“The more you’re transferred out of state, the more likely you are going to drop the call. Currently, Texas has the 5th highest number of dropped calls in the nation. Without the number of crisis counselors, the text and chat features we have here don’t really work,” Simpson said.

Texas has one of the highest numbers of calls into 988 centers across the country, mental health resources are low, and the suicide rate is climbing. The suicide rate in Texas jumped 37% from 2000 to 2022.

Senator José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, has filed a bill to create a state trust fund for the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 14.

The 911 call centers are funded similarly. A surcharge on cellphone bills would support the 988 trust fund. Other states use money from Medicaid expansion to fund their 988 centers.

For updates on this story, follow Briana Conner on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a state of emergency in response to the polar vortex, which is bringing snow, ice and freezing rain across the nation.

According to a Monday statement from the governor’s office, emergency response resources, including transportation crews, the National Guard and medical teams, have been activated.

Governor Abbott urged Texans to stay weather-aware, avoid unnecessary travel and locate nearby warming centers through state-provided resources.

Newsweek has contacted the governor’s office via phone and the Texas Division of Emergency Management via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The polar vortex has triggered freeze warnings and advisories across Texas, threatening human safety and infrastructure.

The freezing temperatures can cause frostbite and hypothermia as well as damage to crops, vegetation and homes. In the past, the state’s transportation and electricity infrastructure has been severely affected by extreme cold events.

With similar conditions forecast, the state’s proactive measures aim to mitigate risks to residents and critical infrastructure. Texans are bracing for potential power outages and dangerous travel conditions.

What To Know

The National Weather Service has forecast sub-freezing temperatures across central, eastern and northern Texas, with wind chills as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas.

Houston and coastal regions may experience 40 mph wind gusts, while Dallas-Fort Worth faces a possibility of single-digit wind chills.

More than 700 Texas Department of Transportation personnel have pre-treated roads, bridges and overpasses with brine and granular materials to improve safety.

Emergency teams from multiple state agencies, including the Texas National Guard, have been deployed to assist stranded motorists, monitor power outages and support with medical emergencies.

The Texas power grid failed in 2021 as a frigid storm left more than 4 million without power or access to food and water. The storm also killed hundreds.

What People Are Saying

Governor Abbott on X: “Today, I activated state emergency response resources ahead of severe winter weather expected to impact the state this week. As Texas faces snow, ice, and freezing rain, we’re working around-the-clock to ensure Texans have necessary resources.”

Dylan Federico, meteorologist for Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, on X: “Dangerous situation with wind chills already in the teens in North Texas. It will feel like the single digits tomorrow morning. Stay safe!”

National Weather Service advice on cold weather safety: “Extremely cold air comes every winter into at least part of the country and affects millions of people across the United States. The arctic air can be dangerous. Combined with brisk winds, dangerously cold wind chill values can result.”

What Happens Next

Texans should prepare for freezing conditions and potential snowfall throughout the week, with warmer temperatures anticipated by the weekend.

State officials will continue monitoring infrastructure and provide updates to ensure public safety.

NORTH TEXAS – The Irving Inclement Weather Shelter offers more than a warm meal and a place to sleep. Volunteers spend time with guests, help with laundry, and play games.

“We use a term called radical hospitality. The biggest thing we want our guests to feel is loved and embraced,” said Stephen Allen, executive director of Life Change Housing Associates.

Four years ago, Christ Church Irving donated a 12,000-square-foot building to Life Change Housing Associates to create this shelter. It’s almost entirely funded by private donations from neighbors and organizations.

“We don’t have a kitchen here, so everything that we eat here is brought in,” said Allen.

The shelter is always in need of businesses and organizations willing to sponsor a meal. The shelter will be open through Jan. 11.

“Just giving them a place where they can get out of the weather, a warm, safe place where they can just crash and sleep—you can’t get a good night’s sleep on the streets,” said Allen.

Volunteer Tangela Bedford knows what it’s like to be out on the streets in this weather.

“Especially when it’s cold and raining ice,” said Bedford.

She was once homeless herself, but over the last year, the team here has connected her with resources that found her a place to stay, a new job, and hope.

“This time last year I was actually in the shelter, and now I’m here to volunteer because I’m graduated, I guess you can say,” said Bedford, laughing. “And I got back on my feet to where I need to be.”

“It feels great, and it feels even better to know that I can come back and help and volunteer to help the next person as well.”

Over the last two years, they’ve helped 150 people find stable housing and helped hundreds stay out of the cold.

“I try to tell people all the time, don’t think that I’m anything special because I’m not,” said Allen. “I’d love to be home with my wife watching TV under a warm blanket, especially when it’s snowing outside, but the Lord has called us to do this to help others, and that’s why I do it—it’s for him.”

Summer Cromartie started volunteering here last year.

“The first time we volunteered, we knew that this was home for us to be able to meet a real and tangible need,” said Cromartie. “It’s one thing to be able to collect soup cans, but it’s another thing to be able to hand soup to an actual person.”

It’s that community that makes all the difference here.

“I just know that these folks are people with stories and mothers and kids, and they are just like I am,” said Cromartie.

The Irving Inclement Shelter is in need of new cots, blankets, and organizations and businesses interested in sponsoring meals for their guests over the next few days. To reach out to the shelter, visit Irvinghomeless.com.