Over 100 U.S. lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to reconsider its budget proposal to defund the LGBTQ+ youth branch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. They argue that eliminating tailored mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth, who are at greater risk for suicide, could lead to devastating consequences. The LGBTQ+ subnetwork, accessible by pressing '3' on the 988 helpline, has been crucial in providing assistance to over 1.3 million individuals since its inception in 2022. Lawmakers emphasize that this service was intended to be more than a generic resource for all Americans in distress.
Lawmakers warned that the Trump administration's plan to defund LGBTQ+ youth services in the 988 Lifeline would endanger lives, urging Health Secretary Kennedy to intervene.
The LGBTQ+ subnetwork has assisted over 1.3 million contacts since 2022, averaging around 2,100 daily. The specialized support is crucial for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis.
Collection
[
|
...
]