Calls to Utah’s suicide hotline and other crisis services continue to increase, but state funding hasn’t grown to match the demand — and it’s creating concern for how long counselors will be able to staff the phones, according to a critical audit released Wednesday.
The new report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor General found that the biggest mental health resources in the state, which are offered through the University of Utah, are now operating at a $1 million deficit. That includes a 24-hour lifeline that gets more than 5,000 calls a month and the SafeUT app that puts students in touch with trained therapists.