More than 100 House Democrats are urging the Department of Health and Human Services to reverse course on a proposal to cut funding for a suicide prevention program that serves LGBTQ youth, warning the decision could have "lethal consequences," The Hill reported.
They warned in a letter Tuesday that eliminating the program would be "shortsighted and dangerous."
The letter, addressed to Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. follows a leaked Trump administration budget proposal that would eliminate services tailored for LGBTQ youth who contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The proposed cuts, first reported by The Washington Post, are part of a broader effort by the administration to reduce what it calls excessive federal spending.
"Ending this mental health support for youth in distress would devastate a vital resource for some of our nation's most vulnerable young people," the lawmakers, led by Reps. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois wrote.
"This shortsighted and dangerous plan undermines 988's ability to provide tailored support for a population with a higher risk of suicide and will have lethal consequences if enacted."
The specialized LGBTQ youth service, launched in 2022, has fielded nearly 1.3 million calls, texts and online chats, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In February alone, the service averaged 2,100 crisis contacts per day.
"This specialized intervention connects LGBTQ+ youth with specially trained crisis counselors, who can provide understanding, empathetic, and confidential support," wrote seven Senate Democrats, including Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, in a separate letter last week.
"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."
Some Republicans have also joined the call to maintain the service. Reps. Mike Lawler of New York and Young Kim of California wrote to Kennedy earlier this month, calling the proposed cuts “a devastating setback, stripping away a critical resource for youth already at elevated risk.”
"These are real, vulnerable young people who urgently need access to mental health care," they wrote.
President Donald Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act in 2020, paving the way for the 988 Lifeline, which was launched under former President Biden in 2022. Congress increased funding last year for the LGBTQ youth-specific portion of the program to $33.1 million, up from $7.2 million for the pilot phase.
The Trevor Project's 2024 report found that 39% of LGBTQ youth aged 13-24 seriously considered suicide in the past year, with rates even higher among transgender and nonbinary youth.
Kennedy hasn’t addressed concerns about 988 hotline cuts for LGBTQ youth but has defended broader HHS cuts, including a downsizing that could affect 20,000 federal workers.
"Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants," he said in a March statement announcing restructuring efforts.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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