The foundation of LGBTQ+ mental health support is crumbling. This past summer, the current administration decided to remove “Option 3” from the 988 Suicide Hotline, which was specifically for LGBTQ+ people in crisis. The elimination of this option puts already vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth and adults at serious risk.
Launched in 2022 with bipartisan support, the 988 Hotline was designed to save lives by expanding access to mental health crisis services. However, by neglecting the importance of LGBTQ+ specific support, the administration has effectively decided that some lives are not worth targeted resources.
The administration justified the removal by claiming the specialized services were “too expensive.” They stated that unifying services would be a better, more cost efficient option. Yet this reasoning ignores the complexities of LGBTQ+ mental health and experiences.
Before its removal, “Option 3” connected LGBTQ+ individuals to a trained professional in LGBTQ+ mental health support. These professionals were experts in handling substance abuse, bullying, relationship troubles, and suicidal thoughts. Tailored care is essential because LGBTQ+ experiences often differ from heterosexual and cisgender peers. Removing this option strips away affirming, knowledgeable support, leaving queer callers feeling isolated.
LGBTQ+ people are four times more likely than their peers to attempt suicide. This is driven by the impacts of internal struggles with one’s sexuality and the external societal rejection of queer people. Since the creation of the 988 suicide hotline, 1.3 million individuals have used the LGBTQ+ services, making it apparent that these resources have been utilized and are vital.
Some states have taken steps to still prioritize queer mental health. California has been using experts from The Trevor Project to train their 988 Hotline workers. This pivot allows crisis workers to still have some specialization in queer mental health, despite the destruction of the specialized network. However, not all states have followed suit. Unlike California, Texas lawmakers have not committed to any additional efforts, neglecting support for LGBTQ+ individuals. This uneven response creates dangerous gaps in support across the country.
The removal of “Option 3” harms LGBTQ+ people in crisis, but also impacts the suicide hotline as a whole. Without the ability to route LGBTQ+ individuals to trained specialists, general crisis workers must handle a higher volume of complex calls they are not trained to handle. The increased calls will reduce the availability and efficiency of the crisis workers as a whole.
Access to affirming, specialized mental health care saves lives. For LGBTQ+ mental health support, use The Trevor Project hotline at 866-488-7386, the LGBT National Hotline at 888-843-4564, or the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860.
