PORTSMOUTH, Va. — After a leaked Trump administration budget draft showed plans to cut funding for a federal suicide prevention hotline dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ youth, advocates in Portsmouth are sounding the alarm.
They say the proposal to eliminate funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services puts youth at risk.
"It really bothers me because there's so many people that's going to be impacted," said Nyonna Byers, founder and executive director of ETSI Health Clinic.
At stake are services offered through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which has received more than 13 million calls, texts, and chats from across the U.S., according to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Over 1.2 million of those calls have been solely for LGBTQ+ support. Nyonna Byers works closely with the LGBTQ community. She says suicide prevention is about risk, not identity.
"When it comes to that hotline, a lot of the LGBTQ+ community, especially our youth, don't have that safe space at home. Many depend on the hotline to help them out and be a safe space for them. It's a tough situation," said Byers.
According to The Trevor Project, an organization committed to ending suicide in LGBTQ youth, young people within the community are more than four times as likely to commit suicide as their peers.
If the cuts become a reality, they would be effective Oct. 1.
If you or a loved one is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You can call or text 988, or to chat online, go to 988Lifeline.org.
