VA to make crisis hotline toll-free by 2030

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced plans to eliminate charges associated with its Veterans Crisis Line and says it will make the service toll-free by 2030.

As it currently stands, callers to the hotline must pay 22 cents per minute on top of a nonrefundable $40 deposit. According to the VA Website, the fees and deposits help "handle irritating callers" who call the hotline seeking support.

"This was a big decision for the VA," said Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. "We wanted to remove any barriers a poverty-stricken veteran may face. But obviously, the VA needs to remain profitable, and we were able to deny a ton of disability claims from folks over at Walter Reed to compensate for the lost revenue."

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