A leaked budget draft suggests cuts to the LGBTQ+ youth suicide-prevention service under the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which has aided over 1.2 million young individuals since its launch in July 2022. Funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, this program connects LGBTQ+ under-18s to necessary support amidst rising suicidality, highlighted by increasing contact numbers. Critics warn that discontinuing this funding would exacerbate a mental health crisis among LGBTQ+ youth, emphasizing that suicide prevention must prioritize risk regardless of identity.
Since its inception in July 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services has provided crucial support to over 1.2 million under-18s facing suicidal thoughts.
'Suicide prevention is about risk, not identity,' said Jaymes Black, emphasizing the need for funding to support vulnerable youth communities amid an ongoing mental-health crisis.
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