Over 100 House Democrats have signed a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asking him to reconsider its “ill-advised” and “dangerous” plan to eliminate all funding to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services, the federal program that provides emergency crisis support for LGBTQ+ youth at risk of suicide. The letter is similar to one issued last week by seven Democratic U.S. senators.
“Ending this mental health support for youth in distress would devastate a vital resource for some of our nation’s most vulnerable young people,” the letter states. “This shortsighted and dangerous plan undermines 988’s ability to provide tailored support for a population with a higher risk of suicide and will have lethal consequences if enacted.”
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The letter notes that LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and that the 988 hotline for LGBTQ+ youth has recently received an average of 2,100 contacts per day and, since 2022, it has received over 1.3 million calls, text, and chats.
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“The specialized services it is able to provide to individuals with a higher risk of suicidality, such as LGBTQ+ youth and veterans, are especially vital to provide high-risk groups with custom support,” the letter adds. “Surely you can agree that every American deserves the resources necessary to prevent suicide and self-injury, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The letter’s 109 signatories include out House members, including Reps. Mark Pocan (WI), Eric Sorensen (IL), Sharice Davids (KS), Mark Takano (CA), Robert Garcia (NY), Becca Balint (VT), Ritchie Torres (NY), Sarah McBride (DE), Chris Pappas (NH) as well as LGBTQ+ allies like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Ilhan Omar (MN), and Jasmine Crockett (TX).
A similar letter sent by Democratic Senators last week noted that Congress increased the program’s funding from $7.2 million during its 2023 pilot year to $33.1 million in 2024.
“We believe that suicide prevention should be a nonpartisan issue. Elimination of services that help keep youth alive is reckless, and we urge you to reconsider your proposal to eliminate this lifeline,” the senators’ letter stated.
There’s proof that the anti-LGBTQ+ policies of the current president administration are increasing feelings of suicidality among queer youth. Calls into The Trevor Project’s suicide prevention services increased by 33% on Inauguration Day compared to weeks prior, and a 700% increase on November 6, 2024, the day after the presidential election.
At the time, Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement, “Suicide prevention is about risk, not identity. Ending the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ youth specialized services will not just strip away access from millions of LGBTQ+ kids and teens – it will put their lives at risk. These programs were implemented to address a proven, unprecedented, and ongoing mental health crisis among our nation’s young people with strong bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by President Trump himself.”
If this story affected you, just know you are not alone. The Trans Lifeline Hotline offers support to trans/nonbinary people struggling with mental health from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. PST Monday-Friday. Call (877) 565-8860 to be connected to a trans/nonbinary peer operator and receive full anonymity and confidentiality. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth ages 24 and younger, can be reached at (866) 488-7386.
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