A Howard County nonprofit that answers calls, chats and texts to the national 988 suicide and crisis hotline is laying off 62 employees after losing federal funding.

The federal government ended its contract with Grassroots Crisis Intervention, which has served as a national backup call center for the hotline, answering communications from people across the U.S. and its territories whose calls or messages cannot be answered locally in a timely manner.

The layoffs take effect Sept. 29, the nonprofit’s executive director, Mariana Izraelson, said in a statement.

The layoffs are not expected to affect Grassroots’ other free 24-hour crisis, mental health, substance use and homeless services, which are staffed by 130 employees. The organization will continue to answer calls and messages to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for Central Maryland residents, Izraelson said.

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Grassroots, which operates out of Columbia and Jessup, provides behavioral health, crisis and homeless services. Nonprofit staff are working to determine how the cuts will affect Grassroots’ overall budget and operations, Izraelson said.

“We remain committed to serving individuals and families who are most vulnerable in our community and in need of critical, free services that can only be found at Grassroots,” she said.

The layoffs come just a few years after Grassroots expanded some of its operations in Howard County.

In 2023, the organization moved its crisis service operations to a location on Columbia’s Old Annapolis Road, freeing up part of its administrative building on Freetown Road to accommodate more beds, lockers and bathroom space. Grassroots also operates a day center in Jessup.

In 2024, the nonprofit, which operates Howard County’s emergency shelter, increased its number of beds for the first time since 2008.