Confidential Massachusetts hotline at ‘tipping point’

With calls now coming from across the state, Call2Talk — a confidential mental health and suicide prevention hotline headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts — is stretched to its limit, receiving more calls than it has the capacity to immediately answer, the Taunton Daily Gazette reported April 21. The service, now a little more than five years old, recently put out a call for more volunteers, donations and financial support as it grapples with rising demand. “It's really at a tipping point,” said Call2Talk Program Director Eileen Davis, who has seen a fivefold increase in call volume since she launched the initiative. Call2Talk provides confidential support to callers who are in distress or at risk of harming themselves. Since 2013, the service has grown from fielding five calls during its first month to more than 50,000 per year. Davis said several factors likely fueled the rapid rise, including increased awareness of mental health treatment. “It's great that people feel empowered to reach out where perhaps they didn't used to feel that way,” she said, “but it just creates a heavy demand.” Call2Talk is also a vital component of state and national suicide prevention efforts. The service is part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.