The government suggests defunding the 988 suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth

The Trump administration wants to cut funding for specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, according to a leaked budget proposal reviewed by NPR.

While anyone in a mental health crisis can call or text 988 and be connected to a trained counselor, the line has specially trained counselors, often with similar life experiences, for high risk groups like veterans and LGBTQ+ youth.

"What they get with that specialized services line is they get somebody who cares, somebody who's been there with them, who has shared experiences, who can understand where they're coming from, and who has been specially trained to address the situations that they are dealing with," says Hannah Wesolowski, the chief advocacy officer at the non-profit National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI).

The higher risk of suicide for LGBTQ+ youth has been well documented by surveys, says psychologist Benjamin Miller, an adjunct professor at Stanford School of Medicine.

"Just last year alone, approximately 40% of LGBTQ youth considered suicide," he says, citing data from the most recent survey by The Trevor Project, an advocacy group for LGBTQ+ youth. "One in 10 had an attempt. And for those looking for help, only about half could get the help they need."

A line like 988 makes it easier for such youth to get mental health support, he adds.

The federal government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) illustrates the number's popularity in this group. It has received nearly 1.3 million contacts from LGBTQ+ people (calls, texts and online chats) since the launch of the 988 line in 2022.

"Just this year alone, in January and February, it's about 100,000 contacts with the line, which means that there are a lot of people who identify as LGBTQ+ who are seeking help through this line, " says Miller.

"And we know that crisis services geared towards LGBTQ+ youth and young adults works," says Wesolowski. "These services save lives."

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/28/nx-s1-5375847/federal-government-may-cut-988-suicide-hotline-for-lgbtq-youth

Not that any of them ever cared.