LGBTQ+ adolescents in distress services will no longer be offered by a nationwide hotline. Next month, the Trump administration will no longer provide that assistance.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline connects LGBTQ+ kids with professionally trained counselors and offers counseling to anybody experiencing emotional distress or thinking about suicide.Suicidal thoughts is much more common in this population, according to research. However, on July 17, that particular service will cease.
Callers will no longer be able to dial 3 for LGBTQ+-specific services, according to a statement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which provides funding for the 988 hotline. The organization stated that it would prioritize helping everyone who is in need of assistance rather than separating LGB+ youth services.
There are alternative options for LGBTQ+ individuals in Los Angeles, including mental health counselors with specialized training. However, supporters of the 988 service claim that its demise will leave a gap in crisis management.
According to Terra Russell-Slavin, chief impact officer at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, this is just one more way that people will feel unheard, uncertain about where to turn for assistance, or uneasy enough to ask for help.
They pointed out that the acronym LGB+ was used in the statement from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. They claimed that even though trans youth are a demographic that is susceptible to suicidal thoughts, they actually took the word “trans” out of the hotline’s mission statement.
Jaymes Black stated in a statement that the program that has saved the lives of over 1.3 million LGBTQ+ youth across the country will no longer be accessible to those in need in less than 30 days. Black is the CEO of the Trevor Project, which has been offering LGBTQ+ adolescent counseling via the 988 hotline since 2022.
Black said it is inexplicable that the administration would discontinue a bipartisan, evidence-based program that has successfully helped a high-risk group of youths get through their most trying times.
The Trevor Project has been a life-saving tool for many queer youth, including some of Yellow Chair Collective’s clients, according to Linda Yoon, the collective’s founder. Among other things, the company offers LGBTQ+ affirming counseling and focuses on helping Asian American and multicultural communities with their mental health.
“It’s really concerning to lose that federally funded support,” Yoon told The Times. Because they address requirements that ordinary services frequently ignore or lack the resources to handle, these specialist services are there for a reason.
According to experts, queer youth have much greater rates of suicidal thoughts than their classmates who are not LGBTQ+.
According to the Trevor Project, there is at least one suicide attempt every 45 seconds and over 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth in the US seriously consider suicide annually.
Yoon and her colleagues work with young people who are experiencing a crisis.
She stated that many of our LGBTQ+ young clients present with more complicated, high-risk cases, particularly when they come from dangerous or unsupportive home environments—something that, regrettably, still occurs far too frequently.
Every year, Yellow Chair Collective serves over fifty gay teenagers, many of whom are seeking assistance following a crisis or after finding it difficult to get the treatment they require elsewhere.
The collective informed customers about a resource: the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the future, the group will direct them to the Trevor Project, which, according to Yoon, will continue to provide crisis care on its own, around-the-clock.
You can contact the Trevor Project at (866) 488-7386. You can chat or text as well.
Resources for crisis counseling and suicide prevention
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, phone 9-8-8 to speak with a specialist. Callers will be connected to qualified mental health counselors via the United States’ first countrywide three-digit mental health crisis hotline, 988. To call the Crisis Text Line in the United States and Canada, text HOME to 741741.
988 started the trial phase of its specialist services for LGBTQ+ children in 2022, some 17 years after the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was established with a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The Trevor Project was the only organization offering the services at the time. In the end, it was one of seven facilities offering assistance.
The Trevor Project estimates that its counselors assisted 500,000 people last year, with over half of those individuals contacting them via the 988 hotline.
In order to connect locals with services, such as mental health specialists with specialized training and programs tailored for LGBTQ+ persons and families, the Los Angeles County Mental Health Department maintains a crisis helpline that is manned around-the-clock.
Yoon continues to worry about the repercussions of high-risk gay youth losing the 988 service. Its assistance has been timely as well as customized.
We are aware that being able to react quickly is crucial in an emergency, she said.
Russell-Salvin is concerned about the critical moment, when the appropriate contact can make all the difference. They worry that finding a new, suitable number to call could be too much to handle.
They claimed that all of those things would just serve to increase the obstacles, which are a significant factor in the injury.
LGBTQ+ focused crisis hotlines
Los Angeles County’s Alternative Crisis Response: This program allows you to contact the county’s round-the-clock helpline at (800) 854-7771 to connect with culturally sensitive resources and services, such as LGBTQ+-specific programs and mental health professionals with specialized training.
The Trevor Project: This national initiative offers peer assistance and crisis services. Calling the hotline at (866)-488-7386, texting START to 678-678, or live chatting with a professional online are all ways to get help.
Trans Lifeline: This nonprofit organization and grassroots helpline provides trans people in crises with immediate financial and emotional support. Assistance is available by calling the hotline at (877) 565-8860 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific, Monday through Friday. The full list of holidays on which the hotline is closed is available online.
Desi LGBTQ+ Helpline:DEQ provides LGBTQ+ South Asian individuals and families with free, private, culturally appropriate peer support, information, and resources. You can contact trained volunteers by phoning (908) 367-3374 Thursday and Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. Pacific, or by completing an online form.
LGBTQ+ focused resources
The Los Angeles LGBT Center provides housing, legal assistance, medical treatment, and mental health services to adults and children who identify as queer or transgender at its ten locations. You can get a complete list of services online or by giving (323) 993-7400 a call.
APLAHealth: The organization provides the LGBTQ+ community with housing, food, mental health, healthcare, and other support services at eight locations in Long Beach and Los Angeles. For a particular service, you can schedule an online appointment.
Yellow Chair Collective: The group has received training in and provides counseling and psychotherapy services that are trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and LGBTQ+ welcoming. Serving Asian American and multicultural clientele is the practice’s area of expertise. You may make an online appointment or find out more about their services.
Planned Parenthood: LGBTQ+ community members can access mental and physical health resources at participating locations. Resources include gender-affirming healthcare and support groups for gay youth between the ages of 14 and 21. You can schedule an online appointment with a nearby medical facility and view all of the treatments offered.
CalHOPE: California provides teens and young adults with online mental health help by calling (833) 317-4673. Callers can also find information on queer-specific mental health resources.
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