Post by The 19th

During Pride month last year, almost 70,000 LGBTQ+ young people sought specialized help from 988, the national suicide and crisis hotline. That was the last time they were able to do so. https://bit.ly/458Jftl As of today, it’s been a year since the 988 hotline’s LGBTQ+ youth services shut down. The Trump administration says it is working to bring back “Option 3″ — the line’s former place in the menu — by the end of 2026, but that timeline is not guaranteed. The “Option 3” LGBTQ+ line was discontinued because federal funding for the service ran out, but Congress approved $33 million to reinstate federal services for LGBTQ+ youth, including this one, months ago. Republicans and Democrats are calling for the line to be restored now. “Saving lives should not be a partisan issue,” Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat, said at a press conference earlier this week. “988 is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It was built with specialized options for people more at risk.” LGBTQ+ youth are significantly more likely to attempt suicide and have depression than other young adults. There are still other resources, like the LGBT National Hotline at 888-843-4564 and the LGBT National Youth Talkline at 800-246-7743. There’s also the Trans Lifeline, reachable at 877-565-8860. The 988 website still has a resource page for LGBTQ+ people and allies, too. In response to members of Congress, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration cites White House policy as a complicating factor in restoring the “Option 3” line. So the agency is trying to reinstate a service for LGBTQ+ youth while still complying with a White House order excluding transgender people from federal policy.