"Losing the "press 3" option has been devastating for youth struggling with mental health crises, emotional stress and suicidal ideation, said Janice Hahn, L.A. County's District 4 supervisor whose coverage area spans Rancho Palos Verdes, Lakewood, Vernon and Whittier. Hahn and District 3 Supervisor Lindsey Horvath led an effort to evaluate the impact of losing "press 3" and discovered that more than 14% of the 5.1 million 988 callers elected to use this option in the last year before the service was terminated."
""It wasn't just a policy change - it was a message to LGBTQ+ young people that their needs didn't matter," Hahn said. "But L.A. County will not turn its back on our LGBTQ+ young people. Not now, not ever." On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to direct the county's Department of Mental Health to try to develop a local "press 3" pilot program."
Five months after the Trump administration eliminated the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline's 'press 3' option for LGBTQ+ youth, Los Angeles County launched an effort to create a local hotline. The 988 'press 3' option previously connected LGBTQ+ youth with specially trained counselors. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said it would not 'silo LGB+ youth services' and would focus on serving all callers. County supervisors found more than 14% of 5.1 million 988 callers used 'press 3' in the year before termination. The Board directed the Department of Mental Health to pursue a local pilot, pending federal and state approval.
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