Right now, LGBTQ+ people under the age of 25 can call or text a 24/7 specialized suicide prevention hotline if they need support. But according to a leaked budget report, the Trump administration may defund that lifeline.
988 is the national Suicide and Crisis Line.
"988 is funded at $519 million right now, and so we're hearing that that should remain funded, which is great. However, we're hearing that our specialized services for these LGBTQ+ youth could be on the chopping block," said Kristina Sabetta, the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which provides free mental health support across Maricopa County.
Sabetta also said she’s seeing a lot more stress from people who use the lifeline.
"We've [gotten] many more calls than we've ever received. We have more folks attending our support groups. We have more folks reaching out, asking for presentations around stress, maybe stress and politics, the fear of the unknown," Sabetta said.
LGBTQ youths are at greater risk for attempting suicide.
988
LGBTQI+ people under 25 can access 24/7 LGBTQI+ support via the 988 Lifeline. To call an LGBTQI-trained crisis counselor, dial 988 and then press 3. To text, send the word PRIDE to 988. To chat, go to https://chat.988lifeline.org/ and opt-in on the Pre-Chat Survey above by checking off the box for LGBTQI+ support.
