Cuts to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline will affect everyone, especially LGBTQ+ youth
I have a core memory of being in youth group when a speaker asked us to close our eyes before saying, “Raise your hand if you’ve ever contemplated suicide.”
After a few seconds, he asked us to re-open our eyes. I almost dropped my arm down – thinking I’d be the only one – but, when I peeked, I saw that almost everyone in the room was raising their hands too.
This was an important realization for me – that this feeling wasn’t as abnormal as I thought.
In fact, suicide is a particularly common thought among youth – with more than one in five U.S. high schoolers saying they’ve seriously considered suicide, according to the CDC.
That’s why the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is such an important resource – especially for young people. But, as if it wasn’t heartbreaking enough how many teenagers consider ending their lives when their lives have barely begun, it’s even higher for those who are part of the gay community.
According to a 2024 survey by the Trevor Project, about 40% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year — including NEARLY HALF of transgender and nonbinary young people.
My friend Jessica Michelle Graham, who came out as a trans woman in 2020, said, “As a child who struggled with accepting my biological gender, I cried so many times and thought of suicide many times. I wish, as a child/teen, I could have reached out to that type of help line to talk to someone who would understand my feelings.”
“I am lucky I didn’t harm myself and was able to transition, but many LGBTQ+ kids have ended their lives or harmed themselves and I am sure there would be so many more youth suicides if not for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.”
That’s why it’s so devastating that the Trump administration wants to cut funding to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which oversees the 988 Lifeline – including their specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth.
NPR reports that the 988 Lifeline currently has specially trained counselors, often with similar life experiences, for high risk groups like veterans and LGBTQ+ youth.
Considering 988 has received nearly 1.3 million contacts from LGBTQ+ people since they launched in 2022, it’s crucial to have people who can specifically address the issues they are dealing with. But this proposal would do away with this.
During former president Joe Biden’s administration, SAMHSA’s staff nearly doubled in size – but Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has proposed reversing this increase in staff. And it appears that cuts to SAMHSA have already led to layoffs. In February 2025, SAMHSA reportedly laid off around 10% of its workforce due to government-wide cuts, according to STAT News.
There are reports suggesting that SAMHSA could face even more significant staff reductions in the future, possibly up to 50%. These potential job losses raise concerns about the capacity of the 988 Lifeline to meet the growing demand for mental health support – not just for LGBTQ+ youth, but for anyone in crisis.
Most people who are considering suicide don’t actually want to do it. They just want the pain to go away. And sometime all they need is an outside perspective – a voice of reason – to help talk them out of it and, ultimately, save their lives. But these cuts would mean fewer resources to handle the volume of calls, texts, and chats, potentially leading to longer wait times or unanswered requests for help – which could mean the difference between life and death for people across the country.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and you're struggling to get through to the 988 Lifeline or you need more specialized support, here are some addition resources:
- Common Ground: If you are a resident of southeast Michigan, the nonprofit Common Ground offers mental health services to people who are currently in crisis. Call 1-800-231-1127 or click here to get support through their virtual urgent care.
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the U.S., anytime, about any type of crisis.
- The Trevor Project: This lifeline is specifically for LGBTQ+ youth and can be reached at 1-866-488-7386 or text 'START' to 678-678.
- Trans Lifeline: A peer support hotline for transgender and gender non-conforming people, available at 877-565-8860.
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): They offer a helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) and a crisis text line by texting NAMI to 741741. NAMI also has local affiliates that can provide community-based support and resources.
- SAMHSA: Even with potential budget changes, SAMHSA's website offers a national helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for individuals and families facing mental health and/or substance use disorders. They can provide referrals to treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
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