The Trump administration is working to reinstate the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s specialized support option for LGBTQ+ callers, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a Senate hearing, Medpage Today reported April 24.
The administration removed the tailored service in June; it connected callers to a centralized network of trained counselors serving LGBTQ+ youths. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a statement it aimed to “focus on helping all help seekers” and would not “silo LGB+ youth service.”
Advocates said the removal reduced trust in the hotline, particularly among LGBTQ+ individuals who may not prefer local resources in certain states, according to the report. LGBTQ+ youths are four times more likely to seriously consider and attempt suicide compared with their peers, according to the Trevor Project. Close to 10% of 988 callers used the specialized options when it was available, Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, told MedPage Today.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who wrote the legislation creating 988, introduced a bill in September that would require the HHS secretary to codify the specialized LGBTQ+ program into law, although it remains pending.
Federal funding for the hotline totals $535 million under the fiscal 2026 law. This includes $33.1 million for the LGBTQ+ program, though no timeline for reinstatement has been specified.
At the Becker's Fall Behavioral Health Summit, taking place November 4–5 in Chicago, behavioral health leaders and executives will explore strategies for expanding access to care, integrating services, addressing workforce challenges and leveraging innovation to improve outcomes across the behavioral health continuum. Apply for complimentary registration now.