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From left: U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley
“While we strongly disagree with the many actions taken by the Trump Administration targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, we believe that suicide prevention should be a nonpartisan issue," the Democratic senators wrote.
Seven Democratic U.S. senators sent a letter Wednesday to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denouncing the Trump administration’s plan to end funding for a crisis and suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth.
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“We write with grave concerns regarding reports that the draft FY26 Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) budget proposes defunding the LGBTQ+ youth suicide and crisis hotline,” the letter begins. “The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s (the Lifeline) LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program provides lifesaving services to LGBTQ+ youth, who face a higher risk of significant mental health challenges and barriers to receiving care than their peers. Given the Administration has claimed addressing youth mental health as a priority, elimination of specialized services specifically designed for at-risk youth is irresponsible. We urge you to reconsider and support continued funding for the program.”
The letter is led by Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, and Jeff Merkley of Oregon. Cosigners are Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Alex Padilla of California, and Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
A leaked fiscal year 2026 budget draft shows the administration proposing to eliminate all funding for the LGBTQ+ hotline. It has received more than 1.2 million crisis contacts since 2022, with a spike over the last several months, according to the senators’ letter. Fiscal 2026 begins October 1.
The bill that established a 988 hotline for people in crisis, including those considering suicide, was signed into law by Donald Trump in 2020, during his first term. It included the service designed for LGBTQ+ youth, which his administration now wants to eliminate. The hotline became operational in 2022.
“After a successful initial phase, Congress recognized the importance of providing specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth and directed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand beyond the pilot to 24/7 operation in fiscal year 2023. To ensure that youth would be able to access the Lifeline by phone, text, or chat whenever they needed it, Congress also increased the program’s funding from $7.2 million for the pilot to $33.1 million in fiscal year 2024 on a bipartisan basis,” the letter notes. “These specialized services are similar to other dedicated programs for veterans and service members, disaster survivors, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and people with neurodivergence. This specialized intervention connects LGBTQ+ youth with specially trained crisis counselors, who can provide understanding, empathetic, and confidential support. Despite the requirement for an operating plan for fiscal year 2025, HHS has provided no information about how or whether it plans to use funds for specialized services or the 988 Suicide Lifeline in general.” The figure of $33.1 million, by the way, is a drop in the bucket where the federal budget is concerned.
Mary Kay Battaglia, executive director of NAMI Wisconsin, which stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness, recently told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that having specialized hotlines increases the likelihood that those populations will use them."It makes it much more comfortable, knowing you're going to talk to someone that understands the stressors you're going through," Battaglia said.
The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth in the U.S. seriously consider suicide each year, and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. The project's crisis services saw a 33 percent increase in calls and messages on the day of Donald Trump's inauguration compared to the weeks prior. Volume went up 46 percent the next day in comparison to typical daily rates. This followed a record-breaking 700 percent increase observed across the Trevor Project’s crisis lines on November 6, the day after the presidential election. The Trevor Project, which is a private nonprofit organization, has emphasized that its services will remain available no matter was happens to the federally funded hotline, but its leaders and other advocates also have noted the need for more services, not fewer.
"The LGBTQ community is under more political attack than we've seen in years," Baldwin told the Journal Sentinel. "That a lifeline for those in crisis would be taken away is outrageous."
Jaymes Black, CEO of the Trevor Project, released this statement on the senators' letter: "Research continues to show that LGBTQ+ young people experience unique mental health challenges and increased suicide risk. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services adhere to clinical best practices to prevent suicide among this marginalized population, and provides research-backed crisis services from highly trained counselors. Thank you to these Senators for recognizing the life-saving power of continuing to fund these programs, which was passed into law with strong bipartisan support.”
The letter concludes, "While we strongly disagree with the many actions taken by the Trump Administration targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, 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."I
f you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
